New laws introduced to State Parliament to keep sex attackers behind bars even after they have served their sentence

UPDATE 1.29pm: TOUGH new laws put to parliament will allow high-risk sex offenders to be kept in jail even after their sentence ends.

TOUGH new laws introduced to the Victorian parliament will allow authorities to keep high-risk sex offenders in jail even after they have served their sentence.

Corrections Minister Bob Cameron said the new laws give courts the power to detain sex offenders for up to three years if they are deemed to present an unacceptable risk to the community.

Under current laws, Victoria's most serious sex offenders can be put under extended supervision orders, restricting their movements in the community and imposing conditions such as electronic monitoring and location restrictions.

Under the new scheme, serious offenders could remain behind bars for up to three years.

The prison term could be extended even further if the offender was still considered a sufficiently high risk.

"Victoria already has strict monitoring for serious sex offenders who have completed their sentence and now this scheme has been bolstered to further protect the community,'' Mr Cameron said.

"The new laws will also give police additional powers to arrest an offender who has breached a condition of their supervision order, or take action if there is an imminent risk of such a breach.''