Violent offenders and paedophiles coming up for parole could one day be screened to discover whether they still harbour criminal inclinations.

A new technique, developed to get inside the minds of pathological liars, has already revealed that one reason violent psychopaths become murderers is that they do not regard violence as unpleasant.

Although the finding is hardly suprising, the test breaks new ground because it provides what is thought to be an objective glimpse of what psychopaths actually think: those such as Ted Bundy can often project a deceptively charming persona.

The test is the first to have “the ability to reveal criminal thoughts and beliefs that the offender may wish to disguise”, said Dr Nicola Gray, co-author of the study published in the journal Nature. Telegraph/UK

How about screening them before they commit any crime, á la Minority Report. Any takers? Mr. Ashcroft?