Deported paedophile 'on register'

Horne's deportation has made front-page news in the UK

A serial paedophile who is back in the UK after being deported from Australia at the end of a 12-year jail term is to be put on the sex offenders' register.

Raymond Horne will face the same monitoring arrangements as those who offend in the UK, the Home Office said.

Horne, 61, reportedly moved from the UK to Queensland with his family in 1952 and started offending in the 1960s.

Queensland authorities said they were "well rid" of Horne, who would have needed close supervision had he stayed.

Offenders' register

A Home Office spokesman said a notification order had been made against Horne, and he would be put on the sex offenders' register.

"Notification orders mean that offenders convicted abroad are subject to the same monitoring requirements on their return as those who have offended here.

"The UK's monitoring systems for sexual offenders are some of the most robust in the world."

A notification order requires an offender to inform police of their whereabouts.

If he had stayed ... we would have regarded him as someone we would have wanted to watch for the next 15 years under very close supervision Judy Spence, Queensland's police minister What happens next?

Horne could face up to five years in prison if he moves, or if he changes his name without notifying the police within three days.

Judy Spence, Minister for Police and Corrective Services in Queensland, told the BBC Horne had been "in and out" of the prison system since 1965.

She said: "He has a long criminal history which include convictions for assault, driving offences, drug offences and, of course, sexual offences.

Close supervision

"He is a paedophile. His last offence... he was convicted of indecent dealing [sexual molestation] against a boy under 14 years of age.

"If he had stayed in Queensland, we would have regarded him as someone we would have wanted to watch for the next 15 years under very close supervision."

Charities in the UK and Australia have said Horne should be treated as a major risk to children.

Horne, seen with his head covered, does not have Australian citizenship

Hetty Johnston, from the Brisbane-based charity Bravehearts, told BBC News that Horne had been "sex offending against young boys for half his life" and should never have been released.

She said the Australian authorities could have detained Horne after his release date because of the risk of him reoffending, but that had not been sanctioned and it was "cheaper" to send him back.

British charity the NSPCC said the authorities should make an immediate assessment of the threat Horne posed and take action to protect children.

"The Australian authorities believe there is a strong possibility he could re-offend therefore we believe he should still be considered a maximum danger to children," it said in a statement.