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Trials allowing parents to run paedophile checks launched

17/02/2008

Parents are to be given new powers to check whether people who have access to their children have ever been convicted of child sex crimes.

The scheme will initially be piloted in four police areas, Cambridgeshire, Hampshire, Cleveland and Warwickshire.

If it is deemed a success, it could then be set up across the country.

Home Secretary Jacqui Smith announced the plans in an article for the News Of The World newspaper, which has long been campaigning for a "Sarah's Law", allowing parents to obtain details of convicted paedophiles near where they lived.

The paper's campaign followed the murder of eight-year-old Sarah Payne in 2000 by Roy Whitting, who had previously spent time in prison for indecent assault.

In the new scheme announced by Ms Smith, single mothers would be allowed to ask police whether potential boyfriends had any child sex convictions.

Family members or neighbours, who regularly look after children, could potentially also been checked.

Police and probation services would decide what information to release and there would be careful controls on disclosure, the home secretary added.

Writing in the article, Ms Smith said: "The system we're working on will ensure that parents and carers will be informed of anyone's offending history where a child is at risk.

"The police and probation services will have the discretion to consider each case on its won merits and disclosure will be carefully controlled in all cases.

"There are few crimes more evil and shocking than sex offences against children," the home secretary said.

"It provokes strong emotions and strong views – and rightly so.

"Britain is one of the leading countries for managing registered sex offenders, and we've done a lot in recent years to improve public protection. But I am clear that we can do more."

In the US, Megan's Law exists whereby people can gain access to the names and address of known paedophiles.