Bid to stop sex offenders 'slipping off the radar'

The proposal is intended to provide better protection to children and victims of sexual offending, and is being put forwards as an amendment to the forthcoming Crime and Policing Bill.

Ms Champion has met Home Office Minister Jess Phillips to seek Government support for the amendment, and another which would provide training for mandatory reporting requirements.

The name-change ban suggestion has already attracted support form 25 cross-party MPs, and is intended to prevent sex offenders from slipping off the radar of the authorities who monitor their behaviour.

A date has yet to be announced for a debate on the bill.

Ms Champion said: “Since 2020, I have been working with Delia Wright and the Safeguarding Alliance, to close the loophole that allows registered sex offenders to change their name to avoid detection.

“I am deeply concerned that the provisions in the Crime and Policing Bill rely on sex offenders to notify the authorities of a new name, before they start to use it.

“Sadly, sex offenders rarely do the right thing.

“My amendment would give the authorities much-needed time to carry out proper risk assessments, before a name change can take place.

“This will help us stop losing track of dangerous people,” she said.

The suggested training on mandatory reporting would help to ensure those who needed it would get the necessary training to help them spot child sexual abuse and report it.

Without it “we will see overwhelm in an already under-resourced system,” she said.