DYFED-POWYS POLICE is the only force in Wales to see a drop in child abuse images charges.
The figure has dropped to 275 in 2017/18, compared to 363 in 2016/17.
NSPCC Cymru have said following the new data being made public that social media was largely to blame and said platforms needed independent regulation.
The most common offence – making up nearly two-thirds of all charges – is related to taking, making or distributing indecent images.
Des Mannion, head of the NSPCC Cymru, said: “Every one of these images represents a real child who has been groomed and abused to supply the demand of this appalling trade.
“The lack of adequate protections on social networks has given offenders all too easy access to children to target and abuse.
“We are calling on the UK Government to introduce a tough independent regulator to hold social networks to account and tackle grooming to cut off supply of these images at source.”
UK crime minister Victoria Atkins has called the extent of child pornography a ‘stain on our world’.
She added: “The home secretary has made five unequivocal demands of web giants to remove child sexual abuse content from their platforms, including stopping grooming and shutting down live-streaming.
“He expects immediate action and how far we legislate will be informed by the action and attitude taken by the technology industry.”
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