A PLYMOUTH mother says she is outraged after her teenage daughter's police witness statement was posted on a Facebook page.

The woman, whom The Herald is not naming, said her teenage daughter was now terrified of giving evidence at the trial, where the defendant is accused of witness intimidation.

The case was brought against the man after he allegedly posted threats to her daughter's life in the form of poems on his Bebo web page.

"I'm furious," the mother said.

"When we first saw it we were totally devastated. How has my daughter's statement ended up on Facebook for all the world to see?

"I don't understand how it could have happened. I'm concerned it's being used against my daughter to intimidate her and make her look like a grass.

"She's scared, and she's got to testify. She was only ever doing what she thought was the right thing – but now look what's happened."

Police say they are now investigating the incident.

A spokesperson for Facebook said the company was also currently looking into the circumstances.

"We want Facebook to be a place where people can openly discuss issues and express their views, while respecting the rights and feeling of others," she said. "However, any content, such as bullying and harassment, which violates Facebook's Statement of Rights and Responsibilities, the governing document for the site, will be removed.

"We are currently investigating this report and will liaise with relevant law enforcement agencies where appropriate," she added.

Facebook has come under fire this week for not doing enough to protect children from online predators following the conviction of a man who murdered a teenager he groomed on the social networking site.

Unlike other sites such as Bebo and MSN, Facebook has resisted pressure to install a 'help button' on its site for children to use which warns the authorities if they feel they are at risk.

Gary Streeter, the Conservative MP for South West Devon, expressed his concern over the social networking website.

"At best it's a wonderful social networking tool," he said. "At worst it's a sinister presence lurking in our midst. It can intimidate, threaten and undermine and be used for wrongdoing.

"We've got to get smarter at controlling how it's used."

A spokesman for Devon and Cornwall Police said last night: "In the majority of cases, if a defence counsel requests a witness statement, a statement is given to them as part of defence disclosure. "What happens to this statement is then a matter for defence counsel. This particular case is currently being investigated by police, who are actively seeking a suspect in relation to it."