All images of child sexual abuse, including drawings and computer-generated images of child abuse will be illegal and offenders holding such images will face criminal charges and up to three years in prison under new proposals announced by Maria Eagle, the Justice Minister.The proposals were announced as part of the government's response to a public consultation on the possession of non-photographic visual depictions of underaged children engaged in sexual activity. It acknowledges the view that paedophiles could be circumventing the law by using computer technology to manipulate real photographs or videos of abuse into drawings or cartoons.

Further information is available from the Ministry of Justice press release.