Blunkett to reform sex crime laws

David Blunkett promised yesterday to reform the laws on sex crimes and sex offenders and voiced concern over the "horrendous" activities of paedophiles using the internet.

The Home Secretary told a conference on criminal justice that long-awaited legislation would be introduced in the next session of parliament.

The reforms will be based on a paper published in 2000, called Setting the Boundaries, which proposed bringing in a specific offence of child abuse, sweeping away "homosexual indecency" restrictions and reforming rape laws.

Mr Blunkett did not say which parts of the document would be adopted. But the options include relaxing laws on gay sex by abolishing the offences of buggery, gross indecency and soliciting by men.

"We will legislate in the next session of parliament on sex offences and sex offenders," the Home Secretary said. He said the legislation would cover "sex offences in terms of the 19th-century laws" and "sex offenders in terms of updating our laws to take account of the most horrendous events that have been in the headlines in this country".

His official spokesman confirmed later that he had beenreferring to paedophile rings and the use of the internet to exploit children.

The announcement came as the Home Office published research showing that almost half of sex offenders subjected to court orders designed to control their movements were breaching restrictions.

In 46 per cent of cases Sex Offender Orders were not being adhered to, the study found.It found that 61 per cent of sex offenders said by police to have breached their orders were brought back to the courts and sentenced. It said that 36 per cent were given non-custodial sentences and 3 per cent were judged to have been innocent.

* Oliver Letwin, the shadow Home Secretary, has called for voluntary organisations to help deter children from a life of crime. Mr Letwin sought a return to the spirit of the late 19th century. "The voluntary sector was very active," he said. "We had six million people in Sunday schools in the 1880s and we had a vast voluntary sector trying to help children of parents who were getting scrambled up."