British policeman questions UK paedophilia policy

LONDON, Nov 19 (Reuters) A senior British policeman has questioned UK policy over paedophilia, saying adults who have sex with girls above the age of 13 should not be classed as paedophiles.

''It's much more of an issue for me if a child is under 13,'' Dyfed and Powys Chief Constable Terry Grange, who is the Association of Chief Police Officers' spokesman on child protection and managing sex offenders, told the Sunday Times.

In the UK, the age of consent is 16, but Grange believes paedophiles should be classed as adults who had sex with children yet to undergo puberty.

''I think the closer they get to 16, the more it becomes a grey area and I think everyone in the field of dealing with sexual health and sexual activity acknowledges that,'' said Grange.

He also questioned British child pornography policy.

''Child porn is 12 and under,'' he said. ''For me, that sort of thing, paedophilia, is with prebubescent children.'' It is not the first time Grange has sparked debate over Britain's child protection issues, arguing earlier this year that government policy on paedophiles was being dictated by tabloid newspapers.

''The last three years has been a litany of abandonment of any real strategic design in the Home Office for the management of sex offenders in favour of trying to find out what one particular tabloid newspaper wants,'' Grange said.

REUTERS MQA BD1716