Necrophilia set to be outlawed in Illinois after officials realise it is technically legal



Sex with a corpse is set to be outlawed in Illinois - though many officials assumed it was a crime already.



In the past, people arrested for the bizarre behaviour have got away scot-free because of the lack of a law specifically making necrophilia illegal.



But the impunity will end if a new bill passes which would make unauthorised movement of a corpse a felony.



Crime: A new bill is set to outlaw necrophilia in Illinois

The bill, sponsored by Democratic state senator Dan Beiser, was inspired by recent incidents where the bodies of drug-overdose victims were moved in order to hinder the authorities' investigations into their deaths, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.



But another provision in the the legislation will fill a much-needed gap in the legal code by finally outlawing necrophilia.

If the measure passes, Illinois will become the 23rd state to have a law against sex with corpses - in some states, the offence can be punished by life in prison.



However, there is - perhaps surprisingly - no federal law aimed against the practice.



Law: Legislation going through the Illinois senate, pictured, is primarily aimed at stopping the removal of corpses from crime scenes

The Illinois law would make necrophilia a Class 2 felony, punishable with a seven-year prison sentence.



Unauthorised removal of a corpse, the main target of the legislation, would be a Class 4 felony.



Madison County coroner Steve Nonn told the Post-Dispatch that in the past couple of years several victims of drug-related deaths in the county had been moved from the place where they died.

