Social networking sites such as Facebook and others linked to them are making it easy for cyber-bullies, or “trolls” to anonymously attack, mentally hurt and, in some cases, cause the suicide of their victims.

Charity beatbullying recently revealed on a BBC Panorama documentary, Hunting the Internet Bullies, that 28% of 11-16 year olds, the troll’s main targets, have been the victims of on-line bullying.

So far only one troll, Sean Duffy has been caught and convicted under the Malicious Communications Act and served nine weeks of an 18-week prison sentence. Another troll, posing as “Nimrod Seven” but identified by Panorama as Darren Burton from Cardiff, anonymously posted deeply offensive racist comments about a murdered man on Facebook and was merely cautioned by South Wales Police last year.