A House of Keys candidate is calling for tougher sentences for those found guilty of child sex crimes.

Keiran Hannifin, the second candidate so far to declare an intention to run in September’s general election, believes there is ’huge public support’ to see pedophiles receive longer jail terms.

The 31-year-old musician is standing as an independent to represent the Middle constituency.

Mr Hannifin claims there is too much inconsistency with punishments handed out. He feels the public should have a say in the severity of sentences for those convicted of certain offences, such as pedophilia, domestic abuse and reckless driving.

He explained: 'If there’s a public outcry and a want for children to be protected from pedophiles then I think we should have a choice in how our criminals are punished,

’I know that there are groups and there’s huge amounts of support for harsher sentencing.’

A campaign group demonstrated outside the Courts of Justice last August to protest a ’lack of action’ on child sex offenders.

The Protest Against Pedophilia and Sexual Assault group said at the time it wanted more support for victims and mandatory minimum jail terms for those who offend.

Mr Hannifin also described what he considered an inconsistency when it came to the contrast between sentences for possessing indecent images of children and those for cannabis importation.