KEEPING children safe from the darker recesses of the internet is a key concern for many parents.

Many families now have safety filters installed on their home PCs to ensure their youngsters can only see what is appropriate for them to see online.

But it is far more difficult to police what children see on the internet away from the home environment.

Our report today detailing how a 12-year-old boy repeatedly raped his little sister as he acted out what he had seen on internet porn sites is, of course, a worst-case scenario.

But what took place, as horrific as it is, happened as a direct result of a young boy becoming addicted to porn sites he found with a simple Google search.

As the judge who sentenced the boy yesterday said, it is a sad fact that many boys of his age will have seen online porn.

And while few will act as he did, the dangers are ever-present and there for all to see.

From next year all families will be offered filters if they have a home internet connection. We would urge every family with children to take advantage of the offer via their internet provider.

What has happened to one Gwent family is far from unique across the UK.

It is up to all of us with children to be responsible adults and do all we can to protect the innocence of the young for as long as possible.