JUSTICE SECRETARY Shabana Mahmood is considering making chemical castration mandatory for the most serious sex offenders as part of a broader review of sentencing reforms and efforts to address prison overcrowding.

The Ministry of Justice is planning to expand an existing pilot involving libido-suppressing drugs from south-west England to 20 regions, with a view to national rollout. A government source told The Guardian that Mahmood is exploring whether the use of such drugs could be made mandatory for some offenders. The pilot programme is due to end next year.

The approach uses two types of drugs: selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors (SSRIs), which limit intrusive sexual thoughts, and anti-androgens, which lower testosterone levels and libido. These are combined with psychiatric support targeting factors behind sexual offending.

Sexual offences made up 21 percent of adults serving immediate custodial sentences as of March 2025. Participation in such programmes is Read More…..