TOUGH new laws to jail perverts who sexually exploit children have been announced by Home Secretary David Blunkett, after he learnt about the case of a 12-year-old who worked as a prostitute and became pregnant while in voluntary care.

Mr Blunkett said the measures will bring the sexual offences laws into the 21st century and deal with wide-spread sexual exploitation of children by perverts, pimps and pornographers.

A Home Office spokesman said the story of the 12-year-old from East Lancashire had highlighted to Mr Blunkett that tough new laws were absolutely necessary. The girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, and is now in a secure home absconded from voluntary care 39 times, working as a prostitute and becoming pregnant.

The family of the 12-year-old today welcomed the proposed new laws and urged MPs to pass the Bill quickly so that those who committed sex crimes against their young relative could be arrested and hit with tough sentences.

The Sexual Offences Bill is currently in committee stage in Parliament and dates back to the New Year.

If the Bill becomes law it will make paying for sex with a child aged 13 or under an offence of rape -- carrying an automatic life sentence.

And anyone sleeping with a child aged 13 to 15 will get a 14 year sentence, rather than the two-year penalty under the current law which dates back to 1956.

The Bill will also, for the first time criminalise people who pay for the sexual services of a child under 18, even though the age of consent is 16. They will receive a seven year sentence.

The Home Office said the new laws will also target pimps who exploit children for their own financial gain under a new offence -- commercial exploitation of a child.

Two offences of 'Controlling a Child Involved in Prostitution' and 'Arranging Child Prostitution' will help police tackle those who pimp children.

A Home Office spokesman said: "This Bill gives stronger protection to children who suffer sexual exploitation and stronger protection for the public generally.

"There are new offences with severe penalties for those who exploit children for their own gain.

"And it is making the law a lot clearer.

"The case of the 12-year-old, and other stories like it, highlighted to the Home Secretary that new laws were absolutely necessary."

Mr Blunkett said: "The law of sexual offences is widely recognised as archaic, incoherent and discriminatory.

"We must have laws that are fit for the 21st century that reflect today's society and provide effective protection against these crimes."

The aunty of the 12-year-old said: "I am really pleased with this. It is good news.

"I am sure the rest of my family have got the same opinion.

She said she thought anyone who committed such offences deserved life in jail. "And it should mean life, they should be left in there and they should die in prison.

"But the government are not just talking about 12-year-olds, those sleeping with 13, 14 and 15-year-olds, will get seven years in jail. I think this Bill should be introduced as soon as possible."