- Sex offenders dodging Child Protection Register
- By Kevin Bissett
- The Australian
- 23/09/2008 Make a Comment
- Contributed by: The Rooster ( 264 articles in 2008 )
THE number of pedophiles and other sex offenders on the Child Protection Register in New South Wales caught flouting their reporting obligations has nearly doubled in the past year.
There were 68 registered persons prosecuted in 2007 for breaching register conditions, including the obligation to notify changes to addresses and even getting tattoos, The Daily Telegraph can reveal.
The increase in breach convictions - up from 38 in 2006 - comes as public concern grows over stranger danger incidents, including a number of attempted child abductions in recent weeks.
Assistant commander of the child protection and sex crimes squad Superintendent Linda Howlett said last night the increase in prosecutions "shows that police are closely monitoring registered persons".
She would not elaborate on any changes in policing that may have led to the increase in prosecutions "due to operational reasons".
Persons on the register must inform police within two weeks of any change of circumstances, including cars driven, getting tattoos, chaging names, addresses, interstate travel and clubs or organisations they join or be in breach of the register.
Registered individuals who have been serving a jail sentence must also present themselves to a police station within 28 days of release to list their details.
The figures, released by the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, show the number of prosecutions in 2007 includes 15offenders whose breaches were considered serious enough for jail time.
Another 18 of those prosecuted received a fine.
As of September 19 there were 1937 individuals on the list, down from 2606 last year.
Supt Howlett said the reduction was due to those in custody no longer being counted in the total until their release.
In one breach prosecuted last week, police charged an unnamed man, 26, at Quakers Hill on September 15 for failing to report changes with his car ownership.
The man was given strict conditional bail to appear at Blacktown Local Court on October 9, 2008.
Those on the list have usually served time for child murder or sex offences and are considered a risk to minors for at least 10 years.
Recent additions to the register include disgraced former Deputy Crown Prosecutor Patrick Power, who was released from Long Bay jail in January after serving six months for possessing child pornography.
Others on the list include child killer John Lewthwaite.
The total number of charges brought for register offences was 94 in 2007, up from 62 in 2006.
There were 68 registered persons prosecuted in 2007 for breaching register conditions, including the obligation to notify changes to addresses and even getting tattoos, The Daily Telegraph can reveal.
The increase in breach convictions - up from 38 in 2006 - comes as public concern grows over stranger danger incidents, including a number of attempted child abductions in recent weeks.
Assistant commander of the child protection and sex crimes squad Superintendent Linda Howlett said last night the increase in prosecutions "shows that police are closely monitoring registered persons".
She would not elaborate on any changes in policing that may have led to the increase in prosecutions "due to operational reasons".
Persons on the register must inform police within two weeks of any change of circumstances, including cars driven, getting tattoos, chaging names, addresses, interstate travel and clubs or organisations they join or be in breach of the register.
Registered individuals who have been serving a jail sentence must also present themselves to a police station within 28 days of release to list their details.
The figures, released by the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, show the number of prosecutions in 2007 includes 15offenders whose breaches were considered serious enough for jail time.
Another 18 of those prosecuted received a fine.
As of September 19 there were 1937 individuals on the list, down from 2606 last year.
Supt Howlett said the reduction was due to those in custody no longer being counted in the total until their release.
In one breach prosecuted last week, police charged an unnamed man, 26, at Quakers Hill on September 15 for failing to report changes with his car ownership.
The man was given strict conditional bail to appear at Blacktown Local Court on October 9, 2008.
Those on the list have usually served time for child murder or sex offences and are considered a risk to minors for at least 10 years.
Recent additions to the register include disgraced former Deputy Crown Prosecutor Patrick Power, who was released from Long Bay jail in January after serving six months for possessing child pornography.
Others on the list include child killer John Lewthwaite.
The total number of charges brought for register offences was 94 in 2007, up from 62 in 2006.
Source: https://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24386518-5006784,00.html
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