A range of new laws given Royal Assent today, means that child rapists serving prison sentences will no longer be automatically released after serving half of their sentence.

Offenders will have to show that they are no longer a danger to the public, in order to secure release, under the new measures in place.

The measures not only affect child rapists, but those individuals who have committed other serious offences in law, including terrorist acts.

The changes are expected to affect around 500 offenders a year.

The Criminal Justice and Courts Bill sets out the new measures which include life imprisonment for killing a police or prison officer, and fines and possible prison sentences for the newly defined phenomenon, revenge porn.