EVERY parent should take heed of Judge Mary Jane Mowat’s words.

We all have a responsibility to protect our children from seeing material they are not mature enough to understand.

Thirty years ago, we only had to worry about children glimpsing inappropriate top-shelf magazines or video tapes.

Today, though, they can access the internet on everything from games consoles and computers to mobile phones and electronic book readers.

Parents may think of games machines as toys, but the fact is they are often a window to an adult world which can create problems if not monitored.

Our front page story today is shocking, but shows not only how easy children can see pornography but how dangerous the consequences can be.

The internet is a powerful tool, but with that power comes great responsibility.

While you cannot control everything your child does, there are ways of curbing access to material in your home.

We must all be vigilant to avoid such appalling crimes happening again.