The Home Secretary’s proposals to keep high risk paedophiles locked up indefinitely marks a success for the Nottingham Evening Post’s Protecting our Children campaign.

David Blunkett acknowledged the contribution of a campaign which began more than a year before the abduction and murder of eight-year-old Sarah Payne.

The Post spoke out after it uncovered a secret Home Office plan to create a bed-sit unit at Nottingham Prison for two of the country’s most notorious paedophiles.

The minister warned that life sentences for sex offenders “should mean life”.

He said: “I’m well aware of the Post’s campaign on paedophiles and the persistent way it has raised the issue.

“The Post and its readers rightly want to know how we can ensure tougher sentences for sex offenders and also how we can deal with paedophiles and sex offenders eventually released from prison.

“Protecting the public from dangerous offenders is of the highest priority within the Government. If someone has been convicted of a dangerous, violent or sexual crime they must be given a long prison sentence, in some cases including life, and must be made to serve it in full.”

He also praised the fair, balanced and responsible way the newspaper conducted its campaign.

Post editor Graham Glen said: “We have tirelessly lobbied ministers.

“We have won enormous public support.

“We have received the broadest possible backing for our stance from prominent figures involved in law and order, like Lord Chief Justice Woolf and Sir John Stephens, the Metropolitan Police Commissioner.

“Finally, the Government has acted. The significance of the move cannot be emphasised strongly enough.”

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