SEX PESTS AMONG US
Scores of offenders in Rutherglen and Cambuslang Almost one third of all sex offenders in South L a n a r k s h i re live in Rutherglen and Cambuslang, the Reformer can reveal.
As of last month, a total of 37 registered sex offenders were residing in the G73 Rutherglen postcode area.
A further 35 were living in the G72 Cambuslang postcode area which also takes in part of Blantyre.
The statistics, revealed in a Freedom of Information ( FOI) request to Police Scotland, were described as “deeply concerning” by Rutherglen MP Ged Killen.
A total of 230 perverts are on the sex offenders’ register across South Lanarkshire, meaning Rutherglen and Cambuslang house almost one in three of the region’s sex offenders.
This is despite the fact that the two towns account for just 18 per cent of the population.
The sex offenders’ register contains the details of anyone
convicted, cautioned or released from prison for a sexual offence against children or adults since September 1997.
And, alarmingly, nine offenders – four in Rutherglen Central and North, three in Rutherglen South, one in Cambuslang East and one in Cambuslang West – were found to have breached the conditions of their bail or licence in 2018.
Some were returned to custody for breaching the notifications requirements of the Sexual Offences Act 2003.
Mr Killen told the Reformer:“The revelations in these FOI requests are deeply concerning.
“The bedrock of a healthy and thriving community lies in feeling secure and safe, the rise in the numbers of sexual offenders breaking their bail or license conditions will worry many in the community.
“These figures are the latest which show a sustained increase in anti-social and criminal activity.
“Police Scotland must set out what measures they will be taking to try and bring this problem to heel and reassure local residents that anyone released on bail is being effectively monitored.
“We know that police resources are stretched due to funding cuts from the Scottish Government, and while the police will do all that they can to address this situation, there is a limit on what can be achieved when resources are scarce.
“Labour’s pledge to recruit 10,000 more police officers to work in the community will mean Scotland will benefit from an investment of £70 million.
“Scottish Labour would use these resources to invest in Police Scotland to allow police officers to do the jobs they are good at, without being held back by cuts from Holyrood.”
Sex offenders are monitored and managed in the community depending on the level of risk they pose to the public under the Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) which involve the police service, local authorities, the NHS, the Scottish Prison Service and other partners.
MAPPA states that the checks undertaken will depend on the offender but could include a physical check of the location of the house to verify its proximity to schools, nurseries, play parks, community centres and libraries.
South Lanarkshire Council says that it follows strict guidelines on how and where sex offenders are housed.
A spokeswoman for Police Scotland said:“Police Scotland works in partnership with a number of agencies through MAPPA to ensure that all registered sex offenders are robustly managed within the community.
“Our priority, working in partnership with other organisations involved in public protection, is public safety.”