A controversial scheme which allows parents to check whether people living near their children are child sex offenders will come into force in north Shropshire by the summer.
Parents will be able to ask West Mercia Police about the criminal history of neighbours, family members and anyone else who has regular contact with their children to find out if they are a registered sex offender.
An 18-month-long trial of Sarah’s Law, which has already been piloted in four counties, will be extended to Shropshire and 17 other police force areas on August 1. It will be followed by the remaining 21 forces across England and Wales by March 2011.
Under the Home Office scheme officers will reveal details confidentially if they think it is in the child’s interests. Police may also warn parents if concerns are raised by grandparents or neighbours. Ministers said the pilot had already protected 60 children.
Sarah’s Law was made in the wake of the killing of eight-year-old Sarah Payne in July 2000 by convicted paedophile Roy Whiting.
West Mercia’s Chief Constable Paul West has been heading up the project on behalf of the Association of Chief Police Officers for the last two years as part of his national responsibility for the management of sexual offenders and violent offenders.
He said: “These new arrangements are a major development in safeguarding children. 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 sexual offenders.
“At West Mercia Police we have done a lot of work over the last two years, especially with our partner agencies such as the Probation Service and the local Safeguarding Children Boards, to make this region a centre of best practice for public protection.”
He added that every registered sex offender in the area had been warned about the scheme and reassured it would not lead to them being publicly outed.
Colin Watt, children’s services manager for the NSPCC in Shropshire, said he would be asking for more information on the evidence from the pilot scheme at a meeting of the Shropshire Safeguarding Children Board on Friday.
He said: “I would want to see clear evidence from the pilots. I want to find out more about that and keep a close eye on it on the impact it will have for kids locally.”
A police spokesperson said enquiries can be made about a person as long as you have a name.
He said: “Enquiries can be made about your neighbour who has a lot of contact with your children and you’re unsure about them, or a woman in a new relationship who wants to check about their new partner. There have been lots of cases of dads asking for checks on ex-partners’ new partners.”
Owen Paterson, MP for north Shropshire, said: “I am sympathetic to what the Home Office is trying to achieve with the scheme. If the pilots have worked effectively, I would be happy to see the scheme extended.”
lWhat do you think? Contact James Pugh on 01743 283327 with your views or email jamespugh @shropshirestar.co.uk
By Charlotte Hester
