The consultation, which opened last month, notes how the nature of offending has changed with the increased use of technology in offences involving indecent images of children and the facilitation of sexual exploitation and grooming of children.

The Council believes that as well as physical harm, the psychological and longer term effects on the victim should be more fully reflected, as well as factors such as filming or photographing a rape, which have become more common.The Council proposes longer sentences where the use of technology is found to be an aggravating factor.

The consultation closes on 14 March and is available at: www.sentencingcouncil.org.uk.