New measures to crack down on prostitution have been unveiled.

Home Secretary Jacqui Smith has introduced plans for a new offence for those caught paying for sex.

It will carry a hefty fine and a criminal record and is designed to crack down on pimps, drug dealers and people traffickers.

Ms Smith said that the tough new approach will mean there are "no more excuses" for men who use the country's estimated 18,000 prostitutes.

Under the changes, paying for sex with a woman "controlled for another's gain" will become a "strict liability offence" in England and Wales, meaning prosecutors will not have to prove that the man knew a prostitute was being exploited in order to charge him.

Ignorance of the woman's circumstances will be no defence and those convicted will get a criminal record and a fine of up to £1,000.

In cases where the man knows that the woman is working as a prostitute against her will, he could be charged with rape, which carries a potential life jail sentence.

Ms Smith said the Home Office considered banning payment for sex outright - as proposed by women's minister Harriet Harman - but found that there was no public support for it.

She said: "I want to do everything we can to protect the thousands of vulnerable women coerced, exploited or trafficked into prostitution in our country and to bring those who take advantage of them to justice.

"That is why I am determined to shift the focus onto the sex buyer, the person responsible for creating the demand for prostitution markets which in turn creates demand for the vile trade of women being trafficked for sexual exploitation.

"There will be no more excuses for those who pay for sex. This new criminal offence of paying for sex with someone who is trafficked or pimped will apply even if the buyer claims he did not know the woman was being controlled for gain.

"I also want to tackle kerb crawling. In my book, once around the block is once too many, and so I'm making kerb-crawling punishable as a first offence. I also want to see more naming and shaming of persistent kerb crawlers."

© Independent Television News Limited 2009. All rights reserved.