A boy has been arrested after he and a 14-year-old girl appeared in a pornographic video, which was then posted on Facebook and is believed to have been seen by thousands of their fellow schoolchildren.
The 14-year-old boy, from Cheltenham, appeared in the video alongside the girl, who is from the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire.
Police say the video, which they describe as pornographic, may have been seen by thousands of children across the county.
The film has now been removed from Facebook – but police warn it could have been distributed more widely on the internet.
The boy was arrested for making and distributing an indecent image and has been given a final warning by police, meaning the incident will remain on his record for the next six years.
‘Sex tapes’ have become more widespread with the rise of the internet, and recent incidents like the release of X Factor judge Tulisa’s video have added more notoriety to the concept.
A headteacher at a nearby school, whose pupils were not involved in the incident, but some of whom have seen the tape, warned parents to be vigilant.
Lawrence Montagu, headteacher at St Peter’s High School, in Gloucester, said: ‘I am led to believe that this video involves young people from schools in Gloucestershire but not, I emphasise, St Peter’s.
‘However, I know that the video has been viewed by students in St Peter’s and I have spoken to the school about the lack of dignity and self-respect people have who allow themselves to be portrayed in such a way.
‘It is very sad that our young people are exposed to such pornography, but it is one of the evils of modern technology.’