April's Law petition is signed by 15,000 people

Parents Coral and Paul Jones, of Machynlleth, are hoping to attract 100,000 signatures backing April's Law, and now the total has passed 10,000, the Government has responded to it.

The family's petition focuses on three main aspects, calling for all sex offenders to remain on the register for life, for service providers and internet search engines to be better policed over images of child abuse, and for harsher sentences for those caught with indecent images of children. The petition needs 100,000 signatures before it can be discussed in Parliament.

Mrs Jones said she wanted to prevent families suffering the heartache she and her husband had experienced. She said: "It's been four years and nothing has been done, we're still waiting for April's Law, a law which could help and protect other families and children."

April, five, was murdered by paedophile Mark Bridger after being abducted from outside her home in Machynlleth on October 1, 2012.

Bridger, who lived in nearby Ceinws, was given a whole life jail term at Mold Crown Court in May 2013, after being found guilty of the youngster's abduction and murder in what the judge said was a sexually-motivated attack.

During Bridger's trial it was revealed he looked at images of child abuse in the hours before he kidnapped April from outside her home.

In response to the aspect of sex offenders remaining on the register for life, a Government spokesman said: "

Protecting the public from harm remains a priority and we have been clear that those offenders who continue to pose a risk will remain subject to notification for life.

"The public should rest assured that sex offenders will not automatically come off the register; the order only provides a mechanism by which a sex offender can apply for a review."

In relation to service providers and internet search engines being better policed, he said: "The Government agrees that industry has a responsibility to work together with law enforcement and Government to prevent and inhibit the use of their services by those seeking to generate and share child abuse material."

In 2015, Google announced that it had made changes to its search to prevent images and videos containing child abuse material from appearing in results. The Government said sentencing is entirely a matter for independent courts.