Italy launches anti-paedophile measures

The Italian government has announced new measures to combat paedophile crime.

It follows public outrage over the brutal murder last week of two children who'd been sexually abused.

Under the measures, a committee of ministers is to be set up to coordinate future action against child abusers; judges are to pool information about such crimes; and schools are to be given a more prominent role in educating children and parents about the dangers of sexually-motivated attacks.

The justice minister Piero Fassino strongly criticised the publication this week by a daily newspaper of the names of convicted paedophiles.

He described it as useless and barbaric.

A similar campaign was launched recently by a Sunday newspaper in Britain.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service