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SEXTORTION is soaring with the number of victims at an all-time high, figures show.

Cases of criminals posing as potential lovers to trick people into sending intimate images before blackmailing them rose to 37,907 last year.

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Sextortion is soaring with the number of victims at an all-time high[/caption]

It compares with 16,000 in April 2020 - March 2021 when Covid lockdowns saw many stuck indoors on computers.

Last year’s total is also more than ten times that of a decade ago, according to analysis by The Sun.

Police are having mixed success in halting the scams, most of which are perpetrated online from abroad.

In the year to March 2024 fewer than one per cent of offenders — 178 — were charged and hauled before judges.

Two thirds of police investigations — 24,790 — failed to identify a suspect. Another 10,000 were binned over difficulties securing evidence to nail a blackmailer in court.

Many cases will not have been reported out of shame.

Dozens of young people, mostly men, have killed themselves in the past five years having fallen prey to plots.

Last year, Scot Murray Dowey, 16, took his own life after being targeted by someone posing as a young woman keen to strike up a friendship.

Wayne Webb, of charity Scam Survivors, said: “Because this is such a common and successful scam, the number of groups doing it is always increasing. We have found organised groups from Nigeria.

“If you are contacted out of the blue, always be suspicious, and if someone is unable to actually speak to you then you know something is amiss.

“They are always using pre-recorded videos, so the easiest way to establish if it’s fake is to ask them to do something unusual like the YMCA.

“People who have been affected should know help is out there and they can contact charities for assistance.”

KEMI Badenoch will not reveal any major policies for at least two years as she orders the Conservatives to be ready to fight an election by 2028.

The Tory leader unveiled her “three-year plan” to turn the routed party around at a Shadow Cabinet meeting on Tuesday that leans heavily on Sir Keir Starmer’s own path to power.

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Kemi Badenoch will not reveal any major policies for two years as she unveils her ‘three-year plan’ to turn the Tories around[/caption]

2025 will be focused on “rebuilding trust” with voters with apologies for what the Conservatives got wrong in Government.

Ms Badenoch has already said sorry for the party’s painful failings on migration, with other such grovels said to be in the pipeline.

Next year will focus on “establishing credibility” with efforts to contrast her team with Nigel Farage as an alternative government throughout 2026.

Then the remaining years of the parliament will finally see “plans for Government” unveiled and policies set out – but not before the very end of 2027 at the earliest.

The Leader of the Opposition also urged her frontbench to embark on a major outreach programme with Donald Trump’s Republicans and right-wing parties in Australia and Canada for tips on turning around party fortunes as quickly as possible.

One Shadow Cabinet source described the plan as “high on aims but low on detail”, while another praised it for its “ambition”.

Other senior Tories pointed to lessons learnt from how Sir Keir Starmer and his right-hand man Morgan McSweeney dragged Labour from an historic defeat in 2019 to No10 by 2024.

A source said: “Starmer showed it can be done in a matter of years, and there is no reason we cannot do the same.”

At a presentation on Tuesday morning, Badenoch and her chief of staff Lee Rowley set the three year roadmap focusing on five key priorities designed to detoxify the party after 14 mixed years in power.

Although the PM does not have to call an election until summer 2029, senior Tories believe the PM could go to the country as early as late 2027.

One senior Tory said: “Given that the government has already hit a record low in popularity, we need to be ready to go a lot sooner than most people think.”

LUCAS BERGVALL was the unlikely hero for Tottenham as they edged a narrow victory over Tottenham.

The youngster bagged his first goal for the club five minutes from time to give Spurs hope of reaching Wembley.

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Pedro Porro missed a golden opportunity for Tottenham[/caption]

It looked like both teams would be heading to Anfield next month with the tie goalless after a cagey affair in North London.

But Bergvall produced a wonderful finish after Dominic Solanke had carved out an opportunity using his pace and strength.

Tottenham overcame an early injury scare to Rodrigo Bentancur and contained the visitors – something they failed to do in a 6-3 defeat to the Reds last month.

They came close to scoring through Pedro Porro when Alisson had to ball taken off his toe, while they also had Radu Dragusin to thank after he blocked a goalbound effort off the line.

Spurs even had the ball in the back of the net 15 minutes from time but Solanke was deemed to be offside following a review by VAR.

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TOTTENHAM’S clash with Liverpool made unexpected history – as for the first time ever a referee explained directly to the crowd why a goal had been ruled out.

Stuart Attwell used the PA system to announce Dominic Solake’s Carabao Cup semi-final opener for Spurs was offside.

First, VAR reviewed the striker’s finish after he sped through to slot home a long through-ball from Pedro Porro.

 Then Attwell said to the stadium: “After a review Dominic Solanke was in an offside position.”

Solanke late helped tee up Lucas Bergvall’s 86th minute winner for Tottenham.

And Liverpool were fuming as, shortly before that, Bergvall escaped a second yellow card for a foul on Kostas Tsimikas.

But the contest will mainly be remembered for Spurs midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur being taken to hospital after landing horrifically.

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