THOUSANDS of online abuse and malicious communications offences were recorded by Merseyside Police last year.

Online abuse has been in the spotlight in recent years, particularly following high-profile events such as England's Euros loss last year, which saw racist abuse directed at some players on social media.

Two main offences cover online abuse in the UK; section 127 offences, which specifically relate to digital technology, and section one of the Malicious Communications Act 1988, which also covers 'old-fashioned' ways of communicating, such as letters and phone calls, but is often used for online harassment.

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Figures obtained by RADAR through a freedom of information request show 8,851 crimes were recorded by Merseyside Police last year across both offences – up 21% from 7,335 the year before.

In 2021, 13 crimes were for section 127 offences, and 8,838 were under the Malicious Communications Act.

Separate figures show that there were 258 prosecutions across both offences in Merseyside in 2021; the highest number since 2005 when figures were first available.

In February, the Government committed to taking on the commission's recommendations in its Online Safety Bill, which is currently being discussed by Parliament.

Tony Neate, CEO at Get Safe Online, which provides advice on using the internet responsibly, said that while the Online Safety Bill may address some of these issues, tech companies also need to improve how they moderate content.

"Our advice with online abuse is consistent: Ignore, report and whatever you do, don't respond," he added.

The Online Safety Bill is also set to impose penalties on social media companies that do not clamp down on abuse on their platforms.

A spokesperson for the Department of Culture, Media and Sport said the bill would lead to a "major improvement" in people's online safety.

"It will force social media firms to take action on the vile abuse people face on their platforms or face heavy fines," they said.