Teen boys 'lured into misogynistic grooming gangs'

TEENAGE boys are being unwittingly recruited into “sadistic and misogynistic” online criminal gangs, a report has warned.

- By Paul Jeeves Crime Editor

The National Crime Agency said thousands of youngsters were being bombarded by millions of messages getting them to join such groups.

Investigators found girls as young as 11 have been groomed online as the teenagers then “compete” for increased kudos by committing crimes.

Offenders work together to hack into companies and commit fraud, and use grooming techniques on victims, it was said.

NCA officers also identified a number of cases in which young girls have been coerced into seriously harming or sexually abusing themselves, as well as siblings and pets.