April Jones family’s sex offender petition passes 100,000-signature mark
A petition calling for tougher sentences for sex offenders set up by the family of murdered April Jones has attracted more than 100,000 signatures.
The family is campaigning for “April’s Law”, calling for sex offenders to remain on the register for life no matter what their crime.
They also want internet service providers and search engines to be better policed over child abuse images and tougher sentences for those caught with indecent images of children.
Reaching the landmark figure means the the petition will now have to be considered for a debate in Parliament.
Five-year-old April was snatched from outside her home in Machynlleth, mid Wales, in October 2012 by Mark Bridger, who was sentenced to a whole life term for her abduction and murder.
Her body has never been found and during his trial Bridger refused to say what he did with her remains. He was found to have accessed child abuse images online just hours before her death.
Commenting on the petition getting 100,000 signatures, a spokesman for the NSPCC Wales said: “It should not be forgotten that every sex offender has committed horrendous abuse and left victims in their wake.
“Before anyone comes off the sex offenders’ register they should undergo a risk assessment and if they still pose a threat to children they must remain on it.
“We also believe those on the register have to be strictly monitored and this should include regular visits from the police.”
The petition, like all others on the UK Parliament website, had six months to attract 10,000 signatories for a government response or 100,000 to be considered for a debate.
It had just over six weeks to run when a surge in responses saw it attract more than 30,000 in 24 hours.
On Tuesday evening the total stood at 115,000 signatures.
In response to the petition a reply from the UK Government said a mechanism, introduced in 2012, allowing offenders on the register for life to apply for the restrictions to be reviewed, did not mean they would automatically come off the register.
The statement said: “The UK has some of the toughest powers in the world to deal with sex offenders and those who continue to pose a risk will remain subject to notification for life.”
April’s mother Coral Jones said it was “brilliant” that so many people had signed the petition.
She said: “It’s the best thing that could have happened. We now just need (it) to be made into law.”
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