Of almost 65,000 offences recorded in 2016-17, around 200 were committed against babies less than a year old.
The “abhorrent” crimes include rape, sexual assault and grooming, but children’s charities fear the true figure is far higher because not all incidents are being reported to police.
The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) said the dramatic rise in recorded offences was partly down to survivors coming forward in the wake of high-profile cases and police improving the way crimes are recorded.
But the charity warned that paedophiles and groomers were increasingly able to reach hundreds of children online, with one in 10 alleged offences now involving the internet.
Figures obtained by a freedom of information request found police recorded 64,667 child sex offences in 2016-17 – 15 per cent up on the previous year.
A total of 13,876 crimes were recorded against children younger than 11, while 2,788 were allegedly perpetrated against children aged four and under.
Analysts cautioned that the total number of sex offences committed against children remains unknown, as victims may not have come forward out of fear or embarrassment, or even realise they have been abused.
Child sexual abuse in the United Kingdom has been reported in the country throughout its history. In about 90% of cases the abuser is a person known to the child. Around 23,000 cases were identified during 2012/2013.
