A police officer from Germany's State Office of Criminal Investigation views computer files connected with child pornography in the northern city of Hanover in 2006.

The possession of computer-generated images of child abuse should be illegal, the British government said Wednesday, proposing penalties of up to three years in prison for those caught with them.

"These new proposals will help close a loophole that we believe paedophiles are using to create images of child sexual abuse," said Justice Minister Maria Eagle.

"This is not about criminalising art or pornographic cartoons more generally, but about targeting obscene, and often very realistic, images of child sexual abuse which have no place in our society."

The proposals, which require parliamentary approval to become law, follow a public consultation last year where child protection charities expressed concern at the growing availability of such images.

© 2008 AFP