Law fails to protect children from paedophiles in 'twilight zone'

Published on Sunday 17 August 2008 20:18

Children's rights charity ECPAT UK says Britain is failing to prevent child sex tourism, with "repeat offenders travelling from country to country, flagrantly avoiding stringent UK sex offender mechanisms".

The charity is now calling for stronger co-operation with foreign governments to deport and chaperone convicted paedophiles back to the UK, so they can be put on the sex offenders register, tracked and, where necessary, have travel restricted.

Gary Glitter is due to be released from prison in Vietnam and deported back to the UK tomorrow. The former glam rocker was jailed for sex crimes against two girls, aged ten and 11, in March 2006. But it is understood that the 64-year-old, whose real name is Paul Gadd, will not be accompanied on the flight home, which could make a stopover in Bangkok, Thailand.

Pointing out that long-haul flights, such as those from Vietnam, do not always fly direct to the UK, the charity's report says: "To avoid offenders absconding on a stop-over, it is essential to have law enforcement or diplomatic chaperones (from either country) escort the individual."

If Glitter does arrive in the UK, he will be met by police at the airport and be required to sign the sex offenders' register.

ECPAT says while Britain has only prosecuted five sex offenders for child sexual abuse abroad since 1997, the US has prosecuted more than 65, and Australia 28.

Between 2006 and 2008 at least 15 British nationals were charged in Thailand for child sex abuse. Others – including teachers or volunteers in orphanages – have been prosecuted in countries including India, Ghana, Cambodia, and Albania.

ECPAT director Christine Beddoe says: "The government must take immediate steps to develop joint investigations with other countries to return sex offenders to the UK and give clear guidance on when travel bans should be used to protect the world's most vulnerable children."