UK to act on Internet sex abuse

Jessica Chapman and Holly Wells were wearing identical Manchester United shirts when they went missing

LONDON, England -- The UK government is facing pressure to speed up introducing legislation that would punish paedophiles using the Internet for luring youngsters through so-called "grooming."

The move comes as police in Cambridgeshire, eastern England, continue their search for two 10-year-old girls who went missing last Sunday.

Police revealed that they were chasing "significant leads" that point to the possibility that the schoolgirls, Jessica Chapman and Holly Wells, may have been using the Internet shortly before their disappearance.

The government has been looking into tightening laws on use of the Internet and had set up an Internet Task Force last March.

It is expected to introduce a Sexual Offences Bill in the Queen's Speech when parliament returns in the Autumn from its summer recess.

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A Home Office spokesman told Reuters on Saturday: "They are looking at the possibilities of making grooming a criminal offence."

"Grooming" has alarmed ministers and police because of the ease by which peaedophiles, often posing as teenagers, can seemingly lure youngsters to meetings.

They befriend children through Internet chatrooms.

Cambridgeshire Police have released one of two men arested without charge.

A force spokeswoman told the Press Association on Sunday: "A man aged in his mid-30s who was arrested in connection with the inquiry on Friday was released at 4am this morning without charge.

"A second man aged in his late-40s remains in custody."

Both men were arrested in Cambridgeshire after refusing to co-operate with

routine parts of the investigation, she said, and were not from the Soham area.