25 disclosures of paedophiles and violent partners

Monday 28 November 2016

Jersey Police have made 11 disclosures in relation to ‘Sarah’s Law’, and 14 disclosures under ‘Clare’s Law.'

The nationwide laws were introduced to give the public more information about sex offenders and violent partners in an attempt to avoid any possible repeats of murders similar to those that prompted the introduction of the laws. The statistics for Jersey have been revealed following a request under the Freedom of Information law.

Sarah’s Law – or the child sex offender disclosure scheme – was introduced nationwide in 2010, following a campaign by the The News of the World and Sara Payne. Her eight-year-old daughter, Sarah, was abducted, sexually abused, and murdered in 2000. Her killer – Roy Whiting – already had a conviction for a similar offence. Mrs Payne argued if this had been public knowledge her daughter’s death would have been avoided.

The law allows parents, carers and guardians to ask the police to tell them if someone has a record for child sexual offences. Disclosures though are not guaranteed, and anyone given the information has to agree to keep it secret.

A murder also prompted the introduction of Clare’s Law. In 2009, 36-year-old Clare Wood was raped, and strangled, by her partner George Appleton. She was unaware he had a long history of violence against women including kidnapping a former girlfriend.

Clare’s Law gives members of the public the ‘right to ask’ the police if their partner has a record of violent crime. Again, the police are not obliged to release the information. The law also allows the police to be pro-active and to tell partners the information. Of the 14 disclosures made by Jersey Police only one was prompted by a public enquiry, the other 13 were police-led.