A leading academic has prescribed Prozac instead of prison for sex offenders.

Professor Don Grubin has carried out research which he claims proves that the drug suppresses the urges of paedophiles and rapists.

Home Office ministers have approved tests to prove the effectiveness of the treatment, with plans to make the drug available to offenders next year.

Doctors believe a high dose of Prozac - carefully supervised over long periods - may be enough to reduce abnormal sex drives.

Forensic psychiatrist Prof Grubin of St Nicholas's Hospital in Gosforth, Newcastle, and also based at Newcastle University, is leading the work commissioned by the National Health Service's Forensic Medical Health Research and Development Committee into the treatment of sex ofenders.

He said: "I believe Prozac will work for these cases. It is widely and successfully used for this purpose in the United States."

Under the tests - due to start in the next few weeks - a sample group of 50 imprisoned sex offenders will volunteer for the study, which will last six months.

Meg Colpitts, founder of the Newcastle charity JustKidz, which supports victims of paeophiles, welcomed the research.

She said:"We have such a huge problem, there are so many paedophiles, it's good news that someone is doing something.

"We need people to look at new ways of treating sex offenders because conventional methods of dealing with them definitely aren't working.

"People say they should be locked up and the keys thrown away but that doesn't really help anyone - I'm all for any possible cures."

However, Home Office minister Beverley Hughes said previous tests indictaed that drugs suppressed overactive sex drives but no violent endencies.

She said: "Research has shown these drugs to be effective only where libido behaviour."