Sarah Champion MP “relieved” Home Secretary finally set to address sex offenders changing name in Conference speech
Sarah Champion, Labour MP for Rotherham, has welcomed the Government’s plans to adopt her change in law which she has demanded for three years.
The Home Secretary has today announced she will propose measures to ban registered sex offenders from changing their name. This seeks to address a significant safeguarding loophole which allows offenders to change their identity without the knowledge of the police, disappear under the radar and, in some cases, secure a clean DBS check under their new name.
Although it is illegal for registered sex offenders to change their personal details without informing the police within three days, currently the onus remains on the offender to tell the police if there is a change in their information.
The Home Office confirmed, in response to Ms Champion’s written parliamentary question, that over 16,000 offenders were charged with a breach of their notification requirements between 2015 and 2020. The Safeguarding Alliance found over 11,500 registered sex offenders were prosecuted for failure to notify changes of information between 2019 and 2022.
Data secured by the BBC demonstrated the same ongoing pattern allowing offenders to slip through the cracks. Over 700 registered sex offenders have gone missing within the last three years. It’s highly likely they breached their notifications requirements without getting caught, making them an active risk to the public.
Commenting, Ms Champion said:
“Whilst I’m relieved that the Home Secretary has finally listened to my demands to tackle this terrifying gap in safeguarding, it is hugely frustrating that it has taken so long for the Government to act.'
‘I have raised this issue with four different ministers over three years, and we still don't have a concrete solution to this problem.’
‘At my insistence, the Government commissioned two reviews into this loophole, neither have been published. We don’t know how many more offenders have changed their name, address or identity in that time to evade detection and disappear, reoffend, or cause deep distress to their victims.’
The problem was first raised by The Safeguarding Alliance and Della Wright, a survivor of child sexual abuse and ambassador for The Safeguarding Alliance whose abuser changed his name five times.
Della Wright and Emily Konstantas, CEO of The Safeguarding Alliance, said:
“Having dedicated over 5 years to relentless campaigning today is a monumental victory for The Safeguarding Alliance, Della’s Law and every survivor of sexual abuse.’
‘No longer will the rights of a sex offender be given priority over the protection of societies most vulnerable.’
‘This change could not have come quick enough and is the biggest change to safeguarding legislation to date. We would like to thank everyone who has supported The Safeguarding Alliance and Della's Law over the years.”
ENDS
Notes to Editors:
Suella Braverman announced the proposals in an article in The Times today:
Braverman will state further details in her speech at Conservative Party Conference at 3pm this afternoon.
Sarah tabled an amendment to the Victims and Prisoners Bill which would require victims to be informed if their perpetrator changes name in June 2023, which can be read here:
Sarah tabled an amendment to the Police Crime Sentencing and Courts Bill calling for a review of this problem, which can be read here: