'Kayleigh’s Love Story': Film warns children of online grooming dangers
Leicestershire Police have launched a five-minute film to raise awareness of the dangers of online grooming.
It follows the case of murdered teenager Kayleigh Haywood, who was groomed by sexual predator Luke Harlow on Facebook, before he and his friend Stephen Beadman held her captive at his house. Beadman went on to rape and murder the Leicestershire teenager.
The film, called Kayleigh’s Love Story, highlights aspects of the last two weeks of the 15-year-old's life and has been produced with the full support of her family.
Over the course of 13 days, Luke Harlow had sent Kayleigh more than 100 messages a day, before she finally agreed to his requests to spend the night at his house last November.
It will be shown in controlled screenings to all school children in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland in the coming days.
Speaking at the launch of the film, Kayleigh’s mother, Stephanie, said: "Our world changed forever the day that Kayleigh received that Facebook message."
“We wanted this film made", Mrs Haywood said, adding: "It serves as a warning - to children and to parents – of the very real dangers of online grooming."
Deputy Chief Constable Roger Bannister, from Leicestershire Police, said: “We must all do what we can to protect children. One way of achieving that is to ensure that as many people as possible know what happened to Kayleigh, that they understand the signs that a child may be in danger and is being groomed, and that we take appropriate steps to safeguard children."
“I hope this film will enable Kayleigh to live on and to help protect children from being groomed. This is Kayleigh’s legacy," he added.