Police in England and Wales recorded a child sex crime every 20 minutes last year, according to new research by the NSPCC charity.

Latest figures show that in West Yorkshire there were 1,205 known sex offences against children and young people in 2009-2010.

Nearly a third of victims, 379, were aged between five and 11, while 86 victims were aged four or under.

Nationally, more than 23,000 offences – including rape, incest and gross indecency – were logged in 2009-10.

Most reports concerned children aged between 12 and 15, but more than 1,000 victims were pre-school age and one in four were aged 11 or under. Girls were about six times more likely to be sexually assaulted than boys, with more than 20,000 female victims recorded.

The figures show, for the first time, the number of young people accused of committing child sex offences. In England and Wales, nearly a quarter (2,200) of known suspects were under 18. In West Yorkshire, 73 known suspects were under 18.

The NSPCC used the Freedom of Information Act to obtain the data from all 43 police forces in England and Wales. The figures show a rise in the number of recorded offences in England and Wales from 20,698 in 2007-08 to 21,618 in 2008-09 and 23,390 in 2009-10.

The NSPCC believes the data helps show which children are at most risk, and from whom, and should allow the UK Government and local authorities to find better ways to protect children.

  • Read the full story in Thursday's T&A