The country's Ministry of Justice said the proliferation of the hyper-realistic images has grown at an alarming rate, causing devastating harm to victims, particularly women and girls who are often the target.

"To tackle this, the government will introduce a new offence meaning perpetrators could be charged for both creating and sharing these images, not only marking a crackdown on this abhorrent behaviour but making it clear there is no excuse for creating a sexually explicit deepfake of someone without their consent," the Ministry said in a statement.

The Government said it will also create new offences for the taking of intimate images without consent and the installation of equipment with intent to commit these offences – sending a clear message that abusers will face the full force of the law.

Under the new offences, anyone who takes an intimate image without consent faces up to two years’ custody.

Those who install equipment so that they, or someone else, can take intimate images without consent also face up to two years behind bars, the Ministry said.

Baroness Jones, Technology Minister, said:  "The rise of intimate image abuse is a horrifying trend that exploits victims and perpetuates a toxic online culture. These acts are not just cowardly, they are deeply damaging, particularly for women and girls who are disproportionately targeted."