The ‘Sarah’s Law’ paedophile alert scheme is set to be extended across the country.
All parents will be given the right to ask police if anyone with regular unsupervised access to their children has a conviction for child sex offences.
Police could also pass on information about other worrying behaviour such as convictions for domestic violence, and so-called ‘soft intelligence’ on unproven complaints of abuse.
Trials were set up in four areas following the murder in 2000 of eight-year-old Sarah Payne by convicted paedophile Roy Whiting.
Home Secretary Alan Johnson said early results from pilots in Hampshire, Warwickshire, Cambridgeshire and Cleveland had been ‘extremely encouraging’ and the project had protected children.
The move marks the end of years of campaigning for a law based on ‘Megan’s Law’ in the U.S. This was named after seven-year-old Megan Kanka, who was kidnapped, raped, and murdered by repeat sexual offender Jesse Timmendequas in 1994.
Mr Johnson said: ‘Protecting children and families from sex offenders is one of my top priorities and the UK already has one of the most robust systems of managing sex offenders in the world.
‘The development of this scheme is a major step forward in our ability to protect children from sex offenders.
‘Early results are extremely encouraging and the pilot has provided crucial protection for children who might otherwise be at risk.
He added: ‘We are still evaluating the results from the year-long pilot and are talking to the police and children’s charities before a final decision on rolling out the scheme is made shortly.’
Sarah was killed in West Sussex ten years ago. Her mother, Sara, was nominated a Victims’ Champion by the Government for her tireless attempts to bring in the law.
Speaking from her hospital bed where she is recovering from a life-threatening aneurism she suffered before Christmas, she said: ‘In all the long years of campaigning for parents’ rights to keep their children safe from predatory paedophiles, this is the most important development to date.
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