Sex offender numbers up in region

The number of registered sex offenders (RSO) in the Thames Valley area has increased by nearly 5% in the past year, a government report has revealed.

However, the latest figures released by the Ministry of Justice showed the region had the fifth lowest proportion of RSOs in England and Wales.

Thames Valley Police said dangerous offenders were well monitored.

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: 323 Berkshire West: 227 Berkshire East: 152 Buckinghamshire: 150 Milton Keynes: 130 Download the full report

Statistics showed that the Thames Valley area had 982 RSOs in comparison with 936 last year.

The number equates to 46 per 100,000 people in Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire combined.

Mappa officials group sex offenders into three categories, with level three requiring the closest monitoring - those at high risk of re-offending.

Between 1 April 2006 and 31 March 2007, there were 42 level three and 641 level two offenders living in the Thames Valley area.

Of these, 94 were returned to custody for a breach of their licence, but none were charged with a serious sexual or violent offence.

'Risks minimised'

Paul Gillbard, director of offender management for Thames Valley Probation, said: "We feel confident that we have a workable system which should provide the local community with confidence that sex offenders and potentially dangerous persons are being managed properly and safely.

"The fact is, however, that such persons always have been and will continue to be released into the community.

"Recent changes in the law and working practices of all the agencies involved in MAPPA now mean that such people are monitored far more closely than in the past."

Det Ch Insp Tim Price, public protection officer, said: "By successfully identifying offenders, sharing information with other key agencies and working closely together on public protection plans, dangerous offenders are well monitored and risks to the public are minimised."