Nearly 7,000 registered sex offenders currently living in Yorkshire, figures show

Thousands of registered sex offenders are living in Yorkshire, while figures show 34 were removed from the register last year.
Nearly 7,000 registered sex offenders were living in Yorkshire in March, figures showNearly 7,000 registered sex offenders were living in Yorkshire in March, figures show
Nearly 7,000 registered sex offenders were living in Yorkshire in March, figures show

Data released by the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) shows there were 6,774 sex offenders being managed by Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) as of March this year.

The highest number of sex offenders was in West Yorkshire, where there were 2,941 on the official register, although this is in line with the county's denser population.

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Humberside had 1,360 registered sex offenders managed under MAPPA as of March, while South Yorkshire had 1,598.

Nearly 7,000 registered sex offenders were living in Yorkshire in March, figures showNearly 7,000 registered sex offenders were living in Yorkshire in March, figures show
Nearly 7,000 registered sex offenders were living in Yorkshire in March, figures show

There were also 875 in North Yorkshire.

Sex offenders sentenced to at least 30 months in prison remain on the register indefinitely – although some can apply to be removed after 15 years, following a change to the law in 2012.

South Yorkshire Police was the only force not to remove any sex offenders from the register, and the number increased by four per cent in the year up to March.

The other forces removed 34 offenders from the register, 21 of which were removed from the register in West Yorkshire.

Nearly 7,000 registered sex offenders were living in Yorkshire in March, figures showNearly 7,000 registered sex offenders were living in Yorkshire in March, figures show
Nearly 7,000 registered sex offenders were living in Yorkshire in March, figures show
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There were a total of 149 sex offenders cautioned or convicted for failing to notify police of changes to their circumstances, such as address changes, travelling abroad or coming ito contact with children.

As well as this, there were 2,246 violent offenders – those who have committed crimes such as murder, kidnapping and grievous bodily harm – registered as living in Yorkshire in March. However, this could also include other sexual offenders who are not required to be on the register.

Across England and Wales, 62,435 sex offenders are being monitored by police – an increase of 4% on 2018-19.

The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) said this rise was because of increases in average custodial sentence length and the requirement for many sexual offenders to register for long periods of time.

Nearly 7,000 registered sex offenders were living in Yorkshire in March, figures showNearly 7,000 registered sex offenders were living in Yorkshire in March, figures show
Nearly 7,000 registered sex offenders were living in Yorkshire in March, figures show
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Abigail Gill, policy and public affairs manager at the NSPCC, said: “It’s vital the system is able to manage and monitor these offenders in the community to rehabilitate them and ensure children and young people are protected.

“Sexual abuse has an absolutely devastating impact on young lives and this strategy must focus on prevention and put the experiences and needs of children at its heart.”

The NSPCC is calling for the Home Office's promised Tackling Child Sexual Abuse Strategy to be implemented without delay, urging the Government to ensure it joins up cross-department efforts to prevent sexual abuse across society.

In response, the Government said the national strategy will be published before the end of the year.

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A MoJ spokesman said: “We are increasing prison time for the most dangerous sex offenders and when they are released they go on the sex offender register and can be brought back to jail if they break their strict license conditions.

“As sex offenders are required to register for long periods of time, many for life, the number monitored continues to grow as more are caught and convicted.”

Superintendent Shelley Hemsley, of South Yorkshire Police, said: “We have robust processes in place for the management of offenders, with a dedicated and specialist offender management team in each of the policing districts. These teams perform an incredibly important task for the force and for our communities, and there are plans to grow this vital resource over the coming years.

“We monitor the individuals living within the community to ensure they comply with their registration requirements. Any breaches are dealt with swiftly and promptly, with necessary action taken to mitigate any risks.

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“SYP follows the national process to risk assess, review and determine whether it is appropriate to remove notification requirements for offenders.

“There are many considerations that must be taken into account when deciding if an individual is to be removed from the Sex Offenders Register, including the seriousness of their offence or offences, the period of time that has elapsed, and whether the offender has committed any further sexual or violent crimes. This list is not exhaustive and considerable deliberations take place.”

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