Changes in the law are needed to strengthen cases against child killers, the Law Commission has said.

The body, which advises the government on law reform, is proposing an aggravated form of the existing offence of child cruelty, which would carry a 14-year sentence.

It also recommends a new offence for a person who has responsibility for a child but fails to protect them from murder, manslaughter or assault, for which there would be a seven-year jail term.

The proposals are designed to close a legal loophole that prevents prosecution of child killers where a jury cannot decide who from a pair or small group of people is actually responsible for inflicting the injuries or causing death.