729 registered sex offenders have vanished

HUNDREDS of registered sex offenders have gone missing in three years, police figures reveal.

Data obtained by the BBC using the Freedom of Information Act shows that 729 offenders vanished or were wanted for arrest between 2019 and 2021.

Separate figures from 21 forces showed 1,500 offenders had changed their name after being convicted. This is legal, but registered sex offenders must tell police of the change or they could face five years in prison.

The Safeguarding Alliance campaign group highlighted the ‘safeguarding loophole’ it says ‘makes a mockery of the legal system’.

A Home Office spokesman said: ‘To ensure registered sex offenders cannot hide their criminal past, they must notify police of their personal details every year and whenever they change.’