More Thames Valley sex offenders

The number of registered sex offenders (RSO) in the Thames Valley area has increased by more than 100 in the past year, according to the Home Office.

Local figures released on Monday showed the region had the fourth lowest number of RSOs in England and Wales.

Thames Valley Police said the increase was likely to be due to transferees and improvement in the accuracy of figures.

The annual RSO report is carried out to highlight the work of Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA).

RSOs in the Thames Valley area Oxfordshire: 306 Berkshire West: 224 Berkshire East: 141 Buckinghamshire: 136 Milton Keynes: 129

Statistics showed the Thames Valley area had 936 RSOs in comparison with 822 last year.

The number equates to 44 per 100,000 people in Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire combined.

Gerry Marshall, Thames Valley Chief Probation Officer, said: "There are three levels which offenders fall into under the MAPPA process.

"I would like to reassure the public that there are very few offenders who fall into level three, the very high-risk category.

"These offenders total 28 and of those, five were returned to custody for breaching conditions imposed upon them, but none were charged with a further serious or violent offence."