Sex offenders figures down – or are they?
By Olivia Bell
Published: 29 October, 2009
THE Highlands and Islands has dropped down the rankings in the Scottish sex offenders league in the latest set of figures published by the authority which monitors and manages them.
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Instead of being third in Scotland for the number per 100,000 of the population on the sex offenders’ register, the region has dropped to sixth place out of nine areas during 2008/2009.
But the way the figures are collated has changed from last year’s statistics, which gave the region a high ranking.
This year the Northern Community Justice Authority – which covers Grampian and Highlands and Islands – has reduced the number of sex offenders shown by taking out those in prison awaiting pre-release, only showing those who live in the community.
However, there are now five sex offenders classed as level three – who pose the most risk of serious harm to the community and need high level monitoring – one more than last year.
And the authority’s annual report states: “It is envisaged the total number of registered sex offenders will rise year on year.
“This is not a cause for alarm as the increase is due to the fact that offenders often remain on the register for longer than 12 months, with some being registered for life.”
This year, on March 31, there were 167 living in the community, which equates to 58.5 per 100,000.
In August, the Highland News Group highlighted that in 2007/2008 there were 71 registered sex offenders per 100,000 in the region, with only Fife and Glasgow ahead in the statistics.
At the time, Jim Ferguson, Inverness Crime Prevention Panel and Highland Crimestoppers chairman, questioned whether this meant offenders were being moved to the Highlands and Islands from other areas.
The HNG has now asked Scottish Information Commissioner Kevin Dunion to look into Northern Constabulary’s refusal, through a Freedom of Information request, to give the number moving into the region and also the cost of managing such offenders.
In our original story, the HNG highlighted two high profile cases where offenders broke their release conditions and were sent back to jail.
Dangerous sex offender John Angus (55) was caged for two years at Inverness Sheriff Court for breaching a court order to curtail his movements in Inverness.
And freed rapist David Penman (34), who lived in Nairn, breached a sex offenders prevention order which banned him from approaching women after an early release from prison and was recalled to serve the rest of his sentence in custody until 2010.
This week, Jim Ferguson praised the HNG for continuing to chase the figures and suggested the goalposts could have been moved this year, making the statistics more difficult to understand.
“I think it is in the general population’s interest to know if there are sex offenders moving into the area, while it is also important that no harm comes to the offender from people who may want to take things into their own hands,” he said.
“Nevertheless, the public has the right to more information about this.”
Linda Dorward, vice-chair of the Northern Community Justice Authority’s strategic oversight group, said its report provided clear evidence that it has the appropriate structures and measures in place to identify, assess and manage the risks posed by serious and violent offenders.
She rejected claims that this year’s figures, overseen by the Scottish Government, gave a false picture and were difficult to compare to last year’s due to the change in how they were reported.
“It does not make a difference because all the regions are measuring these in the same way,” she added.
o.bell@highland-news.co.uk
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Jim Ferguson