Outcry over missing pictures of sex offenders

Published on Friday 19 November 2010 22:05

TORIES have accused the Scottish Government of a "damning oversight" by failing to put the pictures of dozens of missing sex offenders online.

Conservative justice spokesman John Lamont demanded that the missing sex offenders be "named and shamed" by having their photos placed on a special website.

Three years ago justice secretary Kenny MacAskill announced that Scottish police forces could publish pictures of such criminals on an internationally recognised "Most Wanted" internet site.

And figures released last week showed there were 31 missing or wanted sex offenders in Scotland.

However, the Tories said the details of none of these offenders were on the Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP) centre's website.

Lamont said: "Why are they not on the website? If they are still out there, if they have failed to comply with the terms of their release, then they should be named and shamed."

The Tory added: "This is a damning oversight, especially as the SNP called for photos of our missing sex offenders to be put on the website three years ago."

A Scottish Government spokesman insisted that the monitoring of sex offenders north of the Border was now "tougher than it has ever been, and is one of the most robust systems of its kind anywhere in the world".

He added: "Details of sex offenders who have breached their notification requirements are regularly published in the mainstream media where that is considered the most effective course of action."