Government will consider criminalising online trolling

Katie Price has told how her disabled son Harvey was cruelly mocked online
The former glamour model wants a new crime of cyber trolling to be created
She won the backing of Tory MP John Whittingdale and Labour’s Stella Creasy
Justice Secretary David Gauke has said Government will consider her evidence

By Phoebe Southworth For Mailonline

Published: 18:21 GMT, 11 February 2018 | Updated: 18:26 GMT, 11 February 2018

Online trolling could be made a criminal offence after Katie Price called for tougher penalties on those who abuse others on social media.

Justice Secretary David Gauke has said the Government will consider the evidence put forward by the TV personality to a Commons committee on the issue.

The former glamour model has launched a campaign to tackle internet trolls after her disabled son Harvey received vile abuse online.

Online trolling could be made a criminal offence after Katie Price (pictured with son Harvey) called for tougher penalties on those who abuse others on social media

Online trolling could be made a criminal offence after Katie Price (pictured with son Harvey) called for tougher penalties on those who abuse others on social media

The former glamour model (pictured right with Harvey and her mother Amy) has launched a campaign to tackle internet trolls after her disabled son Harvey received vile abuse online

The former glamour model (pictured right with Harvey and her mother Amy) has launched a campaign to tackle internet trolls after her disabled son Harvey received vile abuse online

The mother-of-five wants a new criminal offence – which she has dubbed ‘Harvey’s Law’ – to be created to make online trolling a specific crime.

Asked about Ms Price’s campaign, Mr Gauke told ITV’s Peston On Sunday: ‘I think we have to consider that.

‘I mean what we see is some appalling behaviour on social media.’

The mother-of-five (pictured in Parliament on Tuesday) wants a new criminal offence - which she has dubbed 'Harvey's Law' - to be created to make online trolling a specific crime

The mother-of-five (pictured in Parliament on Tuesday) wants a new criminal offence – which she has dubbed ‘Harvey’s Law’ – to be created to make online trolling a specific crime

Justice Secretary David Gauke (pictured) has said the Government will consider the evidence put forward by the TV personality to a Commons committee on the issue

Justice Secretary David Gauke (pictured) has said the Government will consider the evidence put forward by the TV personality to a Commons committee on the issue

WHAT IS PRADER-WILLI SYNDROME?

Prader-Willi syndrome is a rare genetic condition that causes problems including constant urges to eat food, restricted growth and reduced muscle tone.

Other potential issues include learning difficulties, lack of sexual development and behavioral problems such as tantrums or stubbornness.

The rare condition, which affects one in every 15,000 children born in England, is caused by a defect on chromosome number 15 – and happens by chance.

Because there is no cure, treatment aims to manage the symptoms – with parents of sufferers urged to get their children to stick to a healthy, balanced diet.

Children with the syndrome can eat up to six times more than children of the same age – and still feel hungry.

It was first described in 1956 by Swiss doctors A Prader, A Labhart and H Willi.

Ms Price told the Commons Petitions Committee last week that a line should be drawn between ‘banter’ and criminal abuse.

But she said the law had failed to keep up with the changing use of technology.

Her 15-year-old son Harvey – who is partially blind, autistic and has Prader-Willi syndrome – was targeted on Twitter last year by an unnamed 19-year-old who received a caution from Sussex Police.

But Ms Price told MPs that police had been powerless to act in other cases.

The TV personality also wants to see the creation of a register of offenders.

Ms Price told MPs that while she has five children the online abuse is all focused solely on Harvey.

She said: ‘I’ve got five children and out of those five children the online abuse is only against one….and it is because of the colour of his skin.

‘He gets mocked for his size, and how his eyes are.

‘I kept reporting them, they would get closed down but then reopen and start again.’