The British Home Office has annouced a radical overhaul of laws in relation to paedophilia.
According to a statement from the Home Office the new legislation is the most radical overhaul of sex offences legislation for 50 years.
Included in the new measures is legislation detailing for the first time a new 'grooming offence', defined as meeting a child with the intention of committing a sex offence on the internet and off-line grooming.
The new laws aim to provide a clear set of laws that will increase the protection of children, enable the appropriate punishment of abusers and ensure the law is fair and non-discriminatory.
The Bill also contains new measures to strengthen the monitoring of offenders on the sex offender's register and a range of new offences and harsher sentences for sexual offences against children and vulnerable people.
"The current law on sex offences is inadequate, antiquated and discriminatory and does not reflect changes in society . . ." Mr David Blunkett, the Home Secretary said.
"We are dealing with difficult and sensitive issues, and we aim to strike the right balance between providing greater protection for victims and ensuring fairness under the law for defendants.
"The new offences in this Bill clearly set out what is and what is not acceptable behaviour, together with appropriate penalties, giving the public confidence that they are adequately protected."
Under the new Bill:
- Children under 13 will not be capable in law of giving consent to any form of sexual activity. Any sexual intercourse with a child under 13 will be charged as rape.
- A range of new offences designed to tackle all inappropriate sexual activity with children, including a new offence of causing a child to engage in sexual activity - which will capture behaviour such as inappropriately persuading children to undress.
- A new grooming offence based on meeting a child with the intention of committing a sex offence, and civil order to apply both to Internet and off-line grooming, which will enable restrictions to be placed on people displaying inappropriate sexual behaviour before an offence is committed.
The new offences relating to sexual exploitation of a child will protect children up to the age of 18.
Maximum penalties for sexual offences against children and vulnerable people have also been raised so that any offence involving penetration against a child under 13 or a person who lacks the capacity to consent, will carry a life sentence.
Three new categories of offences have also been added to give extra protection to those with a learning disability or mental disorder, from sexual abuse.
In addition to the new offences relating to sexual exploitation of children, there will be new offences relating to the sexual exploitation of adults. A new offence of trafficking people for sexual exploitation has also been added.