MP wants paedophiles to be ’named and shamed’

MP Jaspur Langgaard has called on the government to toughen the criminal law relating to sexual abuse of children.

One amendment he is hoping to see introduced is the publication of names of convicted paedophiles and the withdrawal of their passports.

“If people know that a convicted paedophile lives nearby, it will be easier for them to protect their children from this person, and this would prevent the paedophile from causing further harm,” he says.

Current penalty “far too lenient”

The names of convicted child sex abusers are currently not announced to the public. According to section 222 of the Criminal Act, the penalty for child sex abuse is imprisonment for up to eight years if the child is aged 15 or under.

Upon sentencing, it is considered an aggravating factor when the perpetrator has exploited his or her physical or mental advantage over the child. If the perpetrator has used coercion or threats, the prison term can be extended to 12 years.

Langgard believes that the current penalty for sexual abuse of children is far too lenient, referring to several instances in which the perpetrator is only handed a prison sentence of a few months.

Translated by prosa.fo