Parents to get new rights on sex offenders

PARENTS are to receive rights to find out if a sex offender has access to their children.

Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill said yesterday parents will be able to request background checks on anyone who has close contact with their children, under a new scheme that goes some way towards introducing a "Sarah's Law" in Scotland.

Sarah's Law was named after eight-year-old Sarah Payne, who was murdered by convicted sex offender Roy Whiting. It is being introduced in England and allows parents controlled access to the sex offenders' register. It follows a campaign by the girl's mother, Sara

A similar move is now being made in Scotland that will see a scheme, which has been piloted in Tayside, rolled out across the rest of the country by the end of the year.

The scheme in Tayside allows members of the public to call for background checks, with a presumption that police will tell parents if the person identified has convictions for sex offences. If a youngster is found to be at serious risk of harm then child protection measures will be instigated.

Fife Constabulary and Central Scotland Police have indicated they are keen to have it operating in their areas by autumn.

Yesterday MacAskill said: "Scotland is one of the leading countries in the world in terms of its approach to the management of sex offenders and we will continue to strengthen this approach. We have made progress in recent years to toughen up safeguards in place – such as strengthening measures to assess, manage and minimise the risks posed by sex offenders – but I am determined to go even further."

He added: "Discussions are taking place with all of Scotland's police forces about how quickly we would be able to have the scheme up and running in their areas. However, I fully expect the roll-out to begin later this year and for all of Scotland to be covered in a matter of months thereafter."

The pilot will run until the end of May and a full evaluation will be published in August. The national roll-out will begin soon afterwards, allowing officials to take on board any lessons from Tayside.

Tayside Police said concerned parents are approaching the force to request information.

Assistant Chief Constable Iain Livingstone, from the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland, said: "The 'Keeping Children Safe' pilot in Tayside has been a positive step which adds to existing child protection measures and increases the intelligence the police have in relation to monitoring sex offenders.

"The implementation throughout Scotland will increase our ability to protect children and other vulnerable members of the community."

Calls for new legislation intensified last year when Scotland's worst ever paedophile ring was exposed during the trial of James Rennie, 38, and 41-year-old Neil Strachan.

In October, the two men were given jail sentences amounting to 29 years after having filmed themselves abusing the children of unsuspecting friends.

Scottish Labour's Justice spokesman Richard Baker said:

"I want to see the Tayside pilot rolled out across Scotland as soon as possible as long as the evaluation is successful.

"However, it's clear that there still needs to be a full national inquiry into sex offender monitoring.

"I called on Kenny MacAskill to back such a probe but so far my pleas have fallen on deaf ears."