Lie detector catches out sex offender

A SEX offender has admitted that he reoffended after police made him take a lie detector test following concerns about his behaviour.

Essex Police disclosed that a man with previous convictions for indecent exposure was tested following referral from detectives.

He consented to the test and, when questioned about his results, admitted reoffending. The man in question was not on probation.

Officers then secured a sexual harm prevention order in May, through the courts, which included a condition that he must submit to a polygraph test when requested by police. If he refuses it will be a breach of the order and he will be arrested interviewed and could face the courts.

The test is carried out in three stages, with an interview, followed by the polygraph test and a post-test discussion.

Essex Police now plan to extend the scheme to test previous offenders. Det Ch Insp Jim Sandford said: “We can’t force people to take part unless it forms part of a court order and the results of a polygraph test can’t be used as evidence in court.

“But the benefits are that it shows they are willing to engage and co-oper- ate with the authorities, and it can prevent us relying on more intrusive methods of monitoring.”

Last year 63 sex offenders were sent back to prison after probation officers used lie detector tests while they were on early release.

Essex Police is one of just four forces to use polygraph testing to manage the risk posed by convicted sex offenders. Six police officers from Hertfordshire, Kent and South Yorkshire have also undertaken training, and two officers from Northumbria and Manchester police forces are also understood to be taking an 11-week course this autumn.