MSP wants 'high risk' names added to sex offenders register

Published on Monday 5 January 2009 08:47

CALLS are being made today to expand the sex offenders register after it emerged some people considered to be "high risk" in the Capital, were not on it.

Registered sex offenders (RSOs) have to check-in with police every year, register a change of address within three days and inform police if they are away from home for more than seven days.

However, Lothian and Borders Police are also monitoring a number of "non-registered persons representing a high risk to the public", who are under no legal compulsion to disclose their movements but could strike "at any time" with "serious impact".

Now Conservative justice secretary Bill Aitken has demanded that those representing "a proven risk" – including children dealt with through the hearings system and those with lapsed registrations – be included after the News discovered that nearly one in eight people posing a "high risk" of committing a sex offence in the city are not on the register.

There are currently 14 high risk individuals – in addition to the 93 high risk RSOs known to be living in Edinburgh – not on the register because they are either too young, or are under "strong suspicion" of a sex crime but have not been charged or convicted.

Non-registered risks may also include those whose registration period has lapsed, but have generated enough residual suspicion to merit further monitoring.

As of November 1 there were 656 registered sex offenders of varying risk being monitored by Lothian and Borders Police. This is almost double the amount being monitored five years ago.

Mr Aitken said: "The bottom line is that the public needs to be reassured that everyone who is a potential risk should be on the register where it has been proven that they are a risk."

Mr Aitken also urged police to detain anyone charged with a serious sex crime pending trial, to prevent them walking the streets as a non-registered risk.

He added: "Where someone has been charged but not convicted the presumption of innocence must apply, but you would expect the police to be watchful of an individual of that type and were the offence to be a serious one you would expect them to be remanded in custody following a petition appearance."

The Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPOS) has drawn up guidelines that allow police to monitor non-registered risks.

A spokesman said: "These people will generally present themselves to the police because of their behaviour. The definition of 'high risk' is that there are identifiable indicators of risk of serious harm. The potential event could happen at any time and the impact could be serious."

A Lothian and Borders Police spokeswoman confirmed that they continue to monitor high risk individuals with lapsed registrations "to ensure any ongoing risks or concerns are addressed and minimised".

A Scottish Government justice spokesman said they were committed to ensuring the public has access to information about the management of, and risks posed by, sex offenders and potential offenders in the community.

He added: "We have been developing information materials, to be published early next year, to raise awareness and to provide advice to parents, children and communities about minimising the risks of exposure to harm."