Offender Management Unit

Sexual Offences Act 2003.

People convicted of specified sexual offences, which are listed in the Sexual Offences Act 2003, are required to register certain details with the Police, and this is commonly referred to as being placed on the 'sex offenders register'. Upon conviction at court the person should be placed on the register automatically if they are convicted of a specified offence.

The length of time on the register will depend on the sentence given by the Sheriff.

• Probation only - Length of probation
• Non custodial sentence - 5 years
• Less than 6 months sentence - 7 years
• 6 months but less then 30 months sentence - 10 years
• 30 months or more sentence - Indefinite

Periods are halved if under 18 years.

Police monitor cases where people are charged with sexual offences and receive notification from their Records department once someone has been convicted of a specified offence and placed on the register. Police will also receive what is termed a 'certificate of conviction' from the relevant court, which lists the offender's details and the conviction.

This will be specified in court upon conviction and they will be handed a copy of the certificate of conviction which documents the fact that they have been made subject to the notification requirements of the Sexual Offences Act 2003. This form will also contain clear information on what the requirements are which are placed upon the offender.

The person must notify the Police of the following information

• Name and address, or any subsequent change to their name and address
• Passport information
• National Insurance Number
• Bank, Credit card, or Post Office account details
• Any foreign travel arrangements
• Residence at any other address within the UK for a period of 7 days or more within any 12 month period

Offenders must register

• Within 3 days of conviction
• Within 3 days of release from prison (for any offence)
• Within 3 days of release from hospital as a result of a court order (for any offence)
• Within 7 days prior to their departure for foreign travel, where they are leaving the UK for 3 days or more

Police have the power to obtain fingerprints, photograph and DNA. They also have the power to apply to a Sheriff for a warrant to force entry and to search the home address of a registered sex offender, if the offender has refused entry to Police on at least two occasions, where they intend to carry out risk assessment duties.

This has to be done in person at certain specified Police stations. The Police will fill out paperwork with these details which will then be held in a secure location.

People subject to the requirements of the Sexual Offences Act 2003 have the same rights as any other member of the public in line with the Human Rights Act 1998. Police have a statutory duty to protect all members of the public regardless of their background or status.

In addition to the legal requirements placed on the offender, information sharing takes place between Police forces and other agencies across the United Kingdom to ensure that the risks posed by the offender are minimised. In addition licence conditions attached to some registered sex offenders also means that restrictions are placed on them limiting the type of employment they can carry out and a requirement to notify the relevant agencies of any potential employment.

Yes. Some offenders will also be subject to licence conditions set by the Parole Board which will be managed by Criminal Justice Social Work. These could include:

• Restriction on where they can live
• Restriction on who they can communicate with
• Restriction on where they can go
• Restriction on what kind of activities they can participate in
• Restriction on access to computer equipment
• Restriction on car ownership/use

The National Accommodation Strategy for Sex Offenders (NASSO) provides local authorities with guidance on where offenders should reside. Some sex offenders have licence conditions which state that they must live in accommodation as approved by their supervising Criminal Justice officer for the period they are on licence although some sex offenders may already have their own housing, either owned, rented or with family. Public safety is paramount when providing an offender with housing. To ensure suitability, site visits to the proposed accommodation are carried out by Police with each agency involved in housing the offender having to share information to effectively manage the offender and minimise any risks posed.

Offenders are currently managed under MAPPA which stands for Multi Agency Public Protection Arrangements. It is a process through which responsible authorities (Police, Local Authority, Health Board and Prison Service) assess and manage the risk posed by the offender to protect the public. These arrangements include police visits and interviews, regular multi agency meetings to share information and ongoing reviews of the level of risk each offender poses.

Current disclosure processes give careful consideration to the disclosure of information to relevant parties about an offender. Only when the risks posed by the offender are such that it is necessary will disclosure take place. Public safety remains paramount in any disclosure process. Information that can be found on the internet about registered sex offenders is of public record and is taken in to consideration by agencies when managing the risks posed by offenders.

Any person can make an application under the scheme where they believe a person who has access or contact with children is a registered sex offender. The Police will then decide if information will be disclosed based on enquiries they carry out about the person. If disclosure is made then the information will be given to the individual who is best placed to protect the children. Further information on the scheme can be obtained from the Dumfries and Galloway Constabulary website.

If you have concerns about a registered sex offender you can contact Police on 0845 600 5701. If available you will be put through to the Offender Management Unit who will discuss your concerns with you. If they are unavailable then an officer within the Force Communications Centre will discuss your concerns and if immediate action is required to be taken then necessary arrangements will be made based on the information that is provided. The Offender Management Unit will be notified of your enquiry as a matter of course and make contact with you if required.

There are a number of ways that information can be obtained including contacting your local MAPPA co-ordinator who is based at Police Headquarters, Dumfries or other agencies involved in MAPPA such as the Police and local authority.