A CHILD of 12 is one of the 30 people who contacted police claiming they were a victim of revenge porn, between April and December last year.

Figures released from Essex Police via a Freedom of Information request show eight of the 30 allegations made were by youngsters under 18 years of age. 

In total, nine of the 30 cases are still being investigated by police.

Three cases have resulted in a charge and two resulted in cautions.

Eight cases were dropped due to the victim withdrawing support, four were dropped because no suspect could be found, two were dropped because of evidential difficulties and a further two had no action taken.

It became an offence to share private sexual photographs or films without the subject's consent in April last year.

According to research done by BBC Essex, there were more than a thousand cases reported between April and December nationwide and three of those were by alleged victims who were just 11 years old.