THE UK government is set to introduce new legislation making child criminal exploitation (CCE) and cuckooing specific offences.
The Crime and Policing Bill, to be presented in parliament next week, will also include prevention orders targeting individuals suspected of exploiting children for criminal activities.
Cuckooing involves criminals taking over the home of a vulnerable person to use it for illegal activities, such as drug dealing.
Currently, prosecutors rely on laws covering assault, harassment, or modern slavery to address such cases, but these may not cover all situations, the BBC reported.
Home secretary Yvette Cooper said the legislation aims to protect victims and prevent hidden crimes. "It is vital we do everything in our power to eradicate it from our streets," she said.
The previous Conservative government had planned to criminalise cuckooing in its Criminal Justice Bill, but the legislation did not progress before Parliament was dissolved for the general election.
The new law will introduce a maximum penalty of five years in prison for cuckooing.
The CCE offence, aimed at individuals who groom children into criminal activities like county lines drug dealing, will carry a maximum sentence of 10 years.
Courts will also be able to impose prevention orders on those deemed a risk, with breaches carrying a penalty of up to five years.
Dame Rachel de Souza, the UK's Children's Commissioner, said the measures would ensure exploited children are treated as victims rather than criminals.
The bill will also introduce a separate offence for spiking, carrying a sentence of up to 10 years in prison
