Force joins scheme to prevent child sex abuse
4th March, 2010
The extension of an initiative to protect children against the risk of sexual abuse has been welcomed by a senior Durham officer.
Durham Constabulary is one of 18 forces signing up to the child sex offender disclosure scheme piloted in Cleveland, Warwickshire, Hampshire and Cambridgeshire since September 2008.
Chief Inspector Paul Goundry, head of the force's vulnerability unit, said he was "delighted" Durham is joining the scheme which allows a parent, carer or guardian the right to request that an individual who has access to their child or children is checked out for a record of child sex offences.
"As a result of the pilot carried out in other areas we know children have been saved from the possibility of becoming victims of sexual abuse and we will be working closely with our partners in probation and children's services to ensure the scheme is a success across County Durham and Darlington," said Chief Insp Goundry.
But, he added that people could not use the scheme - spearheaded by Sara Payne, mother of eight-year-old Sarah who was murdered by a convicted sex offender in 2000 – to snoop on neighbours.
"To make a request for disclosure individuals must be a parent, carer or guardian and their concerns must be in relation to someone with a direct link to their child. If, for example, a parent has entered a new relationship with someone who has direct access to their children and they have suspicions about that person they can apply for a disclosure.
"However, the scheme cannot be used by members of the public to randomly attempt to gather information about someone who may just have moved into their neighbourhood," said the chief inspector.
Detective Sergeant Paul Faulkner said the pilot scheme had also served to improve public protection in a number of ways.
"As well as safeguarding children the scheme is a useful way of obtaining information from members of the public which can assist the monitoring of sex offenders and other dangerous offenders. Hopefully allowing people to make direct enquires about issues that concern them will boost public confidence in the police management of sex offenders," said DS Faulkner, of the force's public protection unit.
The scheme is scheduled to get underway in Durham in August.
