‘Sarah’s Law’ on sex offenders extended to more forces
A scheme that allows parents to check if someone with regular access to their children has a history of child sex offences is being extended. The Home Office scheme was piloted in four areas in England from September 2008. It is now being rolled out in eight more forces and will be expanded to the whole of England and Wales by spring.
“Sarah’s Law” was proposed after the murder of eight-year-old Sarah Payne by a convicted sex offender 10 years ago. Sarah was kidnapped and murdered by Roy Whiting in West Sussex in 2000.
Home Secretary Theresa May said the expansion of the scheme was an “important step forward for child protection” which would also help police manage known sex offenders more effectively. ”Being able to make these checks reassures parents and the community and, more importantly, keeps children safer,” she said.
The trial of the Child Sex Offender Disclosure Scheme took place in Cambridgeshire, Cleveland, Hampshire and Warwickshire. The Home Office said more than 60 children had been protected from abuse during the pilot scheme. Nearly 600 inquiries to the four forces involved in the pilot led to 315 applications for information and 21 disclosures about registered child sex offenders. A further 43 cases led to other actions, including referrals to children’s social care, and 11 general disclosures were made regarding protection issues linked to violent offending, they said.
‘The scheme is now being rolled out to eight other force areas – West Mercia, Bedfordshire, Norfolk, North Yorkshire, Thames Valley, West Midlands, Essex and Suffolk. A further expansion is planned for the autumn, with Northamptonshire, Staffordshire, Sussex, Leicestershire, Wiltshire, Cheshire, Durham, Northumbria, Dorset, Lincolnshire, Surrey and Gloucestershire joining the scheme.
It will be rolled out to other forces by spring next year.
A similar extension of a pilot scheme was also proposed for Scotland earlier this year.
Sarah Payne’s mother, Sara, was made the government’s Victims’ Champion after her campaign to bring in the measures. She wrote in the News of the World newspaper that “despite this positive step, I still believe there’s a need for fuller disclosure”. But she said children had been made safer, adding: “Sarah would be so proud, I’m only sorry it took her death for this vital reform to become a reality.”
The so-called Megan’s Law in the US, which allows the publication of names, addresses and pictures of paedophiles in some states, prompted calls for an equivalent “Sarah’s Law” in the UK.
Charity concernsThe latest development was broadly welcomed by politicians and campaigners. Chief Constable Paul West, of the Association of Chief Police Officers (Acpo), said the new arrangements were a “major development”. ”They empower members of the public to initiate action aimed at protecting children and will help to increase public confidence in the police and other responsible authorities as part of their role in monitoring sex offenders,” he said. ”Some of the cases that have arisen during the pilots have included extended family members and neighbours who have raised concerns. their interventions have undoubtedly resulted in children being protected from potential abuse.”
But some charities have warned that the scheme could backfire by driving paedophiles underground. Diana Sutton, of the NSPCC, said it was good the pilot schemes had helped protect some children, but urged the government to “tread cautiously” as it expanded the initiative. ”We remain concerned about the risk of vigilante action and sex offenders going underground. All new local schemes need close management and proper resourcing to avoid this.”
Do you live in an area that piloted ‘Sarah’s Law’?
Have you used it to make checks?
Send us your comments using the forum link above.
c2010 bbc
i have recentley taken my mothers ex boyfriend to crt .me along with my sisters atended he abused me and spyed on my sisters .he wailked i was deverstated the crt was a joke the juryers were mainily men questions were not asked that was vital evidence was not given there is evidence he done it to other children but it wasnt pursued he said in crt he wasnt at my mothers place at the time of the attack on me and then he sliped up and said he was then retracted it is there anyway i can get a retrail can i apeal ? this dirty man is only going to get more confident now he has been cleared other children r at risk which i cant let happen if i can help in any way
Im in the same position. Finally got to court on the 19th December 2011 and was told 4 days before christmas that he got not guilty. Im trying to get a retrial aswell.
i need help on a subject i have strong concerns that my ex-wife was leaving my son with two men who the police think are grooming young boys when i ask the child protection officer to invoke sarah law to find out if my concerns were anything to worry about they said they would investigate and get back to me with an answer this was over a 12 month ago and no reply is there anybody else i can conntact about this
Call your local Police station, ask if they are participating in Sarahs Law. If they are you can ask to speak with the officer responsible for Sarahs Law. Try to make an appointment, go armed with factual evidence NOT heresay and gossip. Take documentary evidence to support your case. Be calm and as professional as you can.
the police have said there are concerns and they do participate in sarahs law but they don’t seemed to be bothered and have brush it uder the table
how do you actually search for offenders in your area???
Unfortunately, this site odes not offer a search facility as http://www.meganslaw.com in the US.
Sarahs Law in the UK is far removed from Megans Law in the states.
Hopefully we will have such a capability soon.
how do u ask a question about some one who and find out there background with children ?