Just saw this on Sky news - sex offenders disappearing from police radar by changing their names by deed poll

[EyesOpening]

"When they change their name, they effectively go under the radar of all the authorities - they can obtain a new passport, they can obtain a new driving licence and essentially they can erase their past.
"The onus is on them to inform police, but they are often manipulative by nature. If a sexual offender is on the sex offender register, there must be a system where it's not just reliant on that offender to tell the truth."
The Safeguarding Alliance asked the Disclosure and Baring Service (DBS) how they guard against this. They replied: "The DBS does not undertake any background checks regarding applicants changing their name by deed poll."
the Safeguarding Alliance also asked police forces, in addition to this figure, how many sex offenders have gone missing. Only 16 police forces provided data, but it amounted to 913 offenders.
It's thought many of these have changed their names and chosen not to tell the police.
The Safeguarding Alliance has now launched a parliamentary petition to "revoke the right of registered sex offenders to change their name by deed poll".
news.sky.com/story/more-than-900-sex-offenders-disappear-from-police-radar-with-many-changing-their-names-and-not-telling-officers-12036341

Well durrrrrrr. Amazed the police couldn’t work that one out.

Deadname my arse.

I was having a discussion with someone the other day, along similar lines, I couldn't believe it was so easy!

[quote SpartacusAutisticus]Existing thread:
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/3978623-900-sex-offenders-disappear-from-police-radar[/quote]
thank you, I'll have a read

That's a pretty enormous loophole.

Jesus wept.

Just read on the other thread that you can even change your name while in prison.
It's outrageous that there are no meaningful checks on this.

Also relevant:

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/3690840-Reply-from-Home-Office-re-DBS-and-GRC

[quote ItsAllGoingToBeFine]Also relevant:

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/3690840-Reply-from-Home-Office-re-DBS-and-GRC[/quote]
thank you

Having recently completed a DBS check there was a section where it asked for previous names and if you wanted discretion in the way your check was handled you didn’t have to add previous names to the form but could email them separately. It would be very easy to “forget” to to that.

@Mycatismadeofstringcheese

Having recently completed a DBS check there was a section where it asked for previous names and if you wanted discretion in the way your check was handled you didn’t have to add previous names to the form but could email them separately. It would be very easy to “forget” to to that.

Or for them to be lost plain and simple. After all you really don't have to go far to find examples of government IT systems that are shit.

Or just not declare that you had a former name.
I don't think people understand how easy it is to change your name 'officialy'.
You can simply download a statement and have it witnessed by someone and that statement is then sufficient proof to change your identity documents.
You can 'register' that statement with the high court and there would then be a formal record of it - but there is no need to do so.
It is shocking.

Hi All,

There is a petition if you would like to sign it:

petition.parliament.uk/petitions/300705

Here is a link about the campaign:

www.thesafeguardingalliance.org.uk/campaign

Please do feel free to share the petition.

😊

The issue with the current system is that it relies solely on the onus of the convicted and registered sex offender to report and declare a name change. There lacks joint up accountability.

I'm going to sign the petition.

Here's something to add. Apparently if you don't declare that you've changed your name when required to give that information, it is a criminal offence with jail sentence.

However, someone who is changing their name for dodgy purposes will just hope they don't get caught and I can't see how that would be found out. Unless it is after someone has committed yet more crimes????

@highame this is the problem the onus is on the offender. Although there is a prison sentence for failure to notify this is not deterring people and the sentence is less than that for the offence.

Hi everyone here 🤗 thank you so much for talking about and raising awareness for my story. Though this is me in the Sky News report, I am one of many.

Can i please add the petition link here petition.parliament.uk/petitions/300705 its vital that everyone who is as outraged as i am, has the opportunity to sign it.

Much love ✊ Della x

I had an ex partner with a history of domestic violence with his ex wife that did this.

I only found out because his sister told me (about the criminal history but she wasn'tin contact with him and unaware of the name change) I looked a twat when the police were called to an incident as he turned the tables and said I was the agressor and I was lying about his history, the police searched his name and nothing came up so I did look like a liar. It was only when I found out later about his name change and he stalked/harassed me following the breakup that the police took action (once they found out from me his previous name )

HeyBlaby I am so sorry you have had to go through this, it really cannot be allowed to continue. Please feel free to contact myself or Emily at the Safeguarding Alliance, if you feel able to add your story to this ever growing catastrophic loophole 🤗❤

Thank you @Delmob40 for being brave and standing up about this, it's such a ridiculous situation that hadn't been thought through, or worse, was realised but ignored.
I've shared the petition around my family and friends and hopefully you'll get many more from these threads x

This. Is. Insane.

HOW have we not covered this loophole? HOW?????

Simple check. Going through deed poll should require a criminal record check. If it comes up with a record, then the duty is on the deed poll people to inform the police of a name change.

Fucking hell.

@EyesOpening

Thank you *@Delmob40* for being brave and standing up about this, it's such a ridiculous situation that hadn't been thought through, or worse, was realised but ignored. I've shared the petition around my family and friends and hopefully you'll get many more from these threads x

Thank you 🙏✊

www.standard.co.uk/news/crime/john-beirne-former-mayor-jailed-name-change-a4512731.html?

[quote EyesOpening]www.standard.co.uk/news/crime/john-beirne-former-mayor-jailed-name-change-a4512731.html?[/quote]
@SafeguardingAlliance have you seen this 🙈