1,500 foreign killers and rapists let into UK with no checks on criminal records
Police uncovering 2 cases a day (and that could be the tip of the iceberg)
FOREIGN killers, rapists and paedophiles are entering Britain without any checks.
Over just three years more than 2,000 serious offenders – including 1,541 rapists and killers – have been arrested after arriving unhindered.
Obtained under freedom of information laws, the official figures cover only those who have got into trouble with the UK authorities.
They reveal that 827 foreign killers, 714 rapists and 482 child abusers were caught from 2016 to 2018 – a rate of two a day. Neither burglars nor robbers were included.
The suspects’ foreign convictions emerged after the officers who arrested them requested police records from their home countries. Some arrived under EU freedom of movement rules.
Some of the non-EU nationals would have taken advantage of a visa waiver programme from a ‘trusted’ country such as the US or Canada – meaning they did not have to declare previous convictions. Even if they had to apply for a visa they would have been able to stay silent about their crimes.
While a system has been established by the EU for sharing details of criminal convictions, it can only be used once a convict has entered the UK and been arrested or charged.
Except in extreme circumstances, Brussels does not force member states to share information on known criminals who might be planning to travel.
Home Secretary Priti Patel says tougher border rules will be introduced to make it easier to exclude criminals.
Tim Loughton, a Tory MP who sat on Commons home affairs committee, said: ‘These figures are shocking. Clearly the bar is way too high. Too many serious criminals who pose a threat to law-abiding citizens in the UK are getting in under the wire.
‘It is essential under the migration rules post-Brexit that anyone coming here with a criminal record is challenged at the border so we can make the decision there whether to turn them away.
‘Keeping those who live in Britbation ain safe has to be the priority.’ David Spencer, of the Centre For Crime Prevention thinktank, added: ‘Under the current arrangement, there is nothing to stop dangerous criminals and paedophiles from entering this country unchallenged and it is clear that many of them have continued to offend on these shores.
‘For most British people, that situation is completely unacceptable and the sooner the British government is allowed to take control of our borders and stop these people from coming in, the better for everyone.’
Rapists and paedophiles are required to stay in regular contact with the UK authorities and notify them if they intend to travel overseas.
Criminals who are on parole – including murderers and other killers – must inform their prothe
worker if they plan to go abroad, even if only on holiday. This means the authorities know when a serious criminal is planning to travel and, where they feel there is a danger, will tip off another member state.
By contrast, the UK receives information on an entirely ad hoc basis. When EU nationals arrive at the border, their passport details are checked against a ‘watchlist’ of suspected terrorists and foreign criminals compiled by the border agency.
But unless an offender is high profile, is known to have committed crimes in several countries, or is on the Interpol wanted list, the system is unlikely to be aware of their previous convictions.
Some countries flag up potentially dangerous people to the UK so they can be turned away at ports or airports. But if they do not warn that a dangerous offender is on the way there is little Britain can do to stop them slipping through the net.
Even if an arrival has a known
‘Too many getting in under the wire’ ‘A genuine and serious threat’
conviction, under EU rules they cannot automatically be refused entry unless they pose ‘a genuine and serious threat’.
Alice Gross, 14, was murdered in west London in 2014 by a convicted killer who had moved from Latvia under freedom of movement rules.
Miss Patel said: ‘Brexit gives us a once-in-a-generation opportunity to bring in the robust border security the British people demand. When free movement ends, we will impose tougher criminality checks, stop accepting easily forged European ID cards and introduce an electronic travel authorisation system to pre-screen travellers.’
The figures were provided by officials at the Criminal Records Office, a national police unit also known as ACRO.
A spokesman said the bureau served ‘forces across the UK in exchanging criminal records information between the UK and countries across the world for the benefit of all’.
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