Shock number of sex offenders in the area

The number of registered sex offenders in Lanarkshire has increased by over 150 per cent in a decade.

Figures from the latest Multi Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) report revealed that 726 sex offenders were being managed in the county between April 1, 2017, and March 31 last year.

For the same period in 2007-08, there were just 275 sex offenders being managed, with successive annual increases since.

MAPPA is a joint system to manage risks posed by offenders, with input from North and South Lanarkshire Councils, Police Scotland, NHS Lanarkshire and the Scottish Prison Service.

The latest report was set to be discussed by South Lanarkshire Council’s social work resources committee yesterday (Wednesday, February 20).

On March 31 last year, a snapshot showed there were 463 sex offenders living in Lanarkshire - an increase of 13 from 2017.

Three were aged under 18, 13 were aged 18-21, 34 were aged 22-25 and 41 were aged 26-30.

There were 97 aged between 31 and 40, 97 between 41 and 50, 99 between 51 and 60 while 51 were aged 61-70 and 28 were 71 and over.

Of the 463, four were women and 459 were men.

A spokesperson for South Lanarkshire Council said: “A Strategic Management Group has been established to monitor and review the effectiveness of MAPPA arrangements across the Responsible Authorities in Lanarkshire and is chaired by a senior representative from one of the Responsible Authorities.

“Both North and South local authority areas have a Chief Officers Group for Public Protection who also are kept informed of necessary developments.”

South Lanarkshire Council’s head of Children and Justice Services, Liam Purdie, said: “Sex offenders are monitored in the community under the Multi-agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) which involve the police service, local authorities, the NHS, Scottish Prison Service and other partners. None of the partners engaged in MAPPA will comment on specific cases or individuals. The management of sex offenders in the community is a particularly sensitive and complex area of work.

“Public safety is always the main priority in all cases. Whilst it remains the main priority, a balance is required between public safety and the right of the individual. All aspects of cases are carefully considered at every stage of the process, from psychological and risk assessments to places of residence and potential security issues.

“A number of measures can be put in place to manage offenders in the community and these are monitored by dedicated police officers and officials from partner organisations.”