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Review says no to UK Megan's Law Review says no to UK Megan's Law
(about 3 hours later)
A Home Office review of the way child sex offenders are handled in the community has decided against a Megan's Law for the UK, the BBC has learned.A Home Office review of the way child sex offenders are handled in the community has decided against a Megan's Law for the UK, the BBC has learned.
The US law, named after Megan Kanka, 7, who was murdered by a convicted sex offender, gives parents access to names and addresses of known paedophiles.The US law, named after Megan Kanka, 7, who was murdered by a convicted sex offender, gives parents access to names and addresses of known paedophiles.
The Home Office now wants individuals to be able to request information about people they may be concerned about. Instead, the Home Office may allow parents to request information about people left unsupervised with children.
But it does not want the details of offenders to be made widely available. But it does not seem to want details of offenders to be made widely available.
A report of the government's year-long child sex offender review, headed by Home Office minister Gerry Sutcliffe, is expected to be published next month at the earliest.A report of the government's year-long child sex offender review, headed by Home Office minister Gerry Sutcliffe, is expected to be published next month at the earliest.
Single parents
The review has effectively decided that a Megan's Law is not appropriate for the UK.The review has effectively decided that a Megan's Law is not appropriate for the UK.
The best way of supervising sex offenders, if they're not in jail, is to keep them under the most meticulous supervision Martin NareyBarnardo's class="" href="/1/hi/uk/6540497.stm">Campaign for 'Sarah's Law' A campaign to launch a 'Sarah's Law' - a UK version of the legislation - was launched after Sarah Payne was murdered by paedophile Roy Whiting in 2000.
A campaign to launch a 'Sarah's Law', a UK version of the legislation, was launched after Sarah Payne was murdered by paedophile Roy Whiting in 2000. At the moment, employers can request a Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) check if a potential employee is going to work with children, while private citizens cannot.
But the review does conclude that there is a case for wider disclosure of details held on the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) computer. But the review is looking at the case for widening disclosure of details held on the CRB computer.
BBC correspondent Mark Easton said that, at the moment, employers could request a CRB check if a potential employee was going to work with children while private citizens could not make such a check. For example, it is known that some paedophiles target single parents - working their way into the relationship in order to gain access to children.
For example, it was known that some paedophiles targeted single parents - working their way into the relationship in order to gain access to children, our correspondent added.
Lone parents may, in the future, be allowed to request a CRB check.Lone parents may, in the future, be allowed to request a CRB check.
Pilot schemesPilot schemes
Our correspondent said a protocol was being worked out on how this might work and that the key factor would be whether the individual would have unaccompanied access to children.
The location of three pilot schemes could be revealed next month, the Home Office said.
Last year, Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (Mappa) began publishing details of how many sex offenders - not specifically child sex offenders - live in a borough.Last year, Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (Mappa) began publishing details of how many sex offenders - not specifically child sex offenders - live in a borough.
Earlier, children's charities and probation watchdogs said that introducing a trial of a watered-down Megan's Law - where parents were able to find out how many known paedophiles were living in their immediate area - would drive child sex offenders underground. Earlier, it was reported that parents would be given the right to information about paedophiles in their neighbourhoods, prompting heavy criticism from children's charities and probation watchdogs.
Barnardo's chief executive Martin Narey told BBC News such trials would be "very, very bad news". But it later emerged that any possible changes would not be as far-reaching as first thought.
'Workable arrangements' We shall continue to be anxious about the potential for any sort of UK Megan's Law to put children in great peril Barnardo's spokesman class="" href="/1/hi/uk/6540497.stm">Campaign for 'Sarah's Law'
Mr Narey said: "The best way of supervising sex offenders, if they're not in jail, is to keep them under the most meticulous supervision." Dan Norris, MP for Wansdyke in North East Somerset, claimed the first of three pilot schemes would run in his constituency.
He told BBC News: "If they're serial sex offenders, they should be curfewed, be subject to lie detector tests and have staff observing them every single day. But the Home Office said it was too soon to discuss any pilot schemes.
"If paedophiles flee they become very dangerous indeed." It added: "Under the existing public protection legislation, a limited form of disclosure already exists, and the review is looking at how best to focus the impact of any extension to this important principle."
"Sound and workable arrangements" for supervision were already in place including head teachers being made aware of the proximity of child sex offenders, he said. A spokesman for the children's charity Barnardo's said: "The indications from Home Office sources that people in the community will not be able to ask for details of convicted paedophiles is encouraging."
And former Association of Chief Police Officers president Sir Chris Fox said that "a pilot in one area drives the problem to another". But it said it was waiting for a flat denial of earlier reports that members of the public would be able to ask officials to run checks on local people suspected of being paedophiles.
"Secondly, because of the atmosphere of rumour, innuendo and gossip that can develop very quickly when a potential offender is identified to someone," he added. "Until we have it, we shall continue to be anxious about the potential for any sort of UK Megan's Law to put children in great peril," he said.