Police lose track of nearly 500 convicted sex offenders in UK

Missing include rapists and paedophiles

A dozen registered sex offenders are on the run from Police Scotland, it has been confirmed.

The criminals are among nearly 500 which police in the UK have lost track of, according to a report.

All 12 are believed to be out of the UK. Two have been wanted for nine years, four have been wanted for between one and five years and six have been wanted for under eight months.

Their offences included rape, attempted rape, indecent assault, possession of indecent images of children, sexual assault, voyeurism, indecent assault on a female aged 16 or over and indecent assault on a boy aged under 14.

The missing include rapists and paedophiles, including some who disappeared more than a decade ago, according to a Sky News investigation.

Figures released by 41 police forces show the number of convicted sex offenders whose whereabouts are unknown is 485, a jump of more than 20% in the last three years.

The Metropolitan Police said it did not know the whereabouts of 227 registered sex offenders, including 38 who had been missing for at least eight years.

West Midlands said 46 registered sex offenders were wanted or missing including one offender who disappeared in 2006. Greater Manchester Police said the whereabouts of 19 registered sex offenders were unknown, with one vanishing in 2006. Police Scotland said 12 registered sex offenders were wanted. Four forces, including the Police Service of Northern Ireland), did not respond to Freedom of Information requests, Sky News said, meaning the total number of offenders on the loose could be higher.

Alex Mayes, from charity Victim Support, said: “These figures will potentially be very alarming to victims of sexual offences and could undermine public confidence in the criminal justice system.

Registered sex offenders must inform police of their addresses and are subject to monitoring by authorities who manage certain sexual and violent criminals living in communities.

A Home Office spokeswoman said: “We have significantly strengthened the system of reporting that sex offenders are subject to, and a range of civil orders have given police more powers to manage their behaviour.

“When a registered sex offender goes missing, their details are recorded on national and international systems and the police will actively seek out further information and intelligence to locate them.”

These figures will potentially be very alarming to victims of sexual offences and could undermine public confidence in the criminal justice system. ALEXMAYESOF VICTIM SUPPORT