Tories in call for tougher action over sex offender notification failures

Hundreds of sex offenders in Scotland have failed to notify Police Scotland of their whereabouts, new figures have shown.

Scottish Government statistics show between 2010 and 2015 there were 830 incidents of registered sex offenders not telling the police about a change of address or giving a required annual notification.

A total of 259 of the breaches led to the offenders being put behind bars while 256 were fined, 88 were given a community sentence and 227 received sentences classified as “other”.

The figures show 29 sex offenders since 2010/11 have left their usual home address or the UK entirely without notifying police.

The Scottish Conservatives said the sentences for sex offenders breaking the rules on notifications are “sending out a dangerous message”.

The party called for tougher action, including for police to publish a list of sex offenders who fail to update police on their location.

Scottish Conservative MSP Margaret Mitchell said: “This would be a powerful deterrent as well as helping ensure that the public are protected.

“Sex offenders are given clear instructions about the need to notify the police of their whereabouts but these figures show that hundreds of them are simply ignoring these requirements.

“When these individuals still pose a threat, it is vital that we know exactly where they are so they cannot go on to commit further offences.

“With many of them not even receiving custodial sentences for these breaches, we are sending out a dangerous message that we are willing to let many of them away with a fine or a slap on the wrist.

“This is simply not good enough and there needs to be tougher consequences for those who are flouting these rules.

“These are often dangerous and predatory individuals, and we cannot jeopardise public safety by allowing them to disappear.”

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