Paedophiles and other sex criminals could face chemical castration

New plans have been proposed.

The review, led by former justice secretary David Gauke, has been commissioned by the government with regards to overcrowding in prisons across England and Wales.

The review also looks at releasing thousands of offenders after serving just a third of their jail term.

The recommendations come with the aim of reducing the prison population by almost 10,000 people come 2028.

According to Sky News, the key proposal would see offenders who have behaved well in jail serving just a third of their time in custody.

The government are also looking at using medication to supress the sexual drive of sex offenders. This is currently being piloted in southwest England.

Mr Gauke told Sky News that the drugs that reduce sexual desire 'will not be appropriate for every sexual offender'.

He said: "I'm not going to claim it's the answer for everything. This is about reducing the risk of re-offending in future.

"There are some sex offenders who want to reduce their desires and if we can explore this, I think that is something that's worthwhile."

He added that the government needs to put their focus on 'reducing crime overall'.