Courts to read out paedophile records

Paedophiles will have their previous convictions read out in court for the first time under radical government plans announced today.

David Blunkett's reforms will see a defendant's criminal record revealed during trial, provided the offences are very similar to the current-charges. In trials involving child sex and theft offences, a judge will be able to order that a much broader range of previous convictions are disclosed.

The significant change to the way criminal trials take place in England and Wales was brought in under a new law passed last year and will apply in Crown and magistrates' courts from mid-December.

The Home Secretary said it would allow juries greater access to information about previous convictions and other types of misconduct " without unduly prejudicing the fairness of the trial".

Generally, evidence about a defendant's bad character has been inadmissible in trials, and disclosing such information to a jury would usually lead to the proceedings being stopped and a retrial ordered.