Who to contact with questions about convicted sex offender?

[Cansheblockitin]

sorry for the niche question…Does anyone know how to find out the conditions of a sex offenders licence? I’m presuming these aren’t public documents?

long story short, I’m concerned about a convicted sex offender who is now (I am told) going to church weekly where there are young girls.

i thought he wouldn’t be allowed to do this, but some I’ve spoken to said church is a public space, he can’t be expected to stay away from children forever etc

id like to know if he’s breaching any licence conditions. For all I know, his probation officer doesn’t know he’s going to this church

any help from those in the know would be great thank you

Contact the police and let them know

They won't tell you his license conditions but can investigate their end

The police or probation service can investigate this

He’ll be one of a number of sex offenders in the congregation then.

Are you part of the Church staff.

When my ds was younger one if the mums of his friends was a police officer who used to keep tabs on offenders that were on the register and make sure they weren't breaching the conditions.
I would assume that most if not all forces have a similar team so contact your local force with as much info as you have.

A church is a public place. There will also be young girls present whenever he goes to, say, the supermarket, or uses public transport. It would obviously be different if he was volunteering to run the Sunday school or something but if he’s just attending as a member of the congregation I don’t actually see how that could be prohibited under the terms of his licence.

I'd certainly make it my business to let people know, especially the parents of the children who attend the church.

How would you do this, vigilante groups can get things very wrong

Leaving yourself open to a harassment conviction?

Please don't, that can go wrong very fast.

If your concern is around contact with your own child, then you can make an application under Sarah's Law. But, others are correct, it's a public place and unlikely to breaching anything unless the person of concern is actually seeking to volunteer with the children's or young people's groups (where they would have to have a DBS carried out) or they are working with children/young people in some capacity (again they would have to apply for a valid DBS)
Churches have to now have a safeguarding lead, so only concern should be addressed to them as well.

You cannot seek any 'vigilante' type action because people are not banned from ever being in a public place where there are children and young people present.

Notify to police of your concerns. If you like, notify the member of clergy if it is a recognised denomination, as they will have safeguarding procedures.

I don't know about other denominations, but the Church of England as the Established Church cannot ban people from attending services.

Where someone is a known risk they will do a risk assessment and make a risk management plan with the individual - e.g. may attend the evening service, but not the morning as that has a Sunday School. Will not attempt to engage socially with children, or the parents of children. May not sing in or play instruments for a choir if the choir includes children.

Each plan is specific to the risk presented by the individual, those are examples of the restrictions that may be agreed. A small number of people within that church will know about the plan and there will be an agreed course of action for those monitoring it if the individual breaks the agreement.

Every diocese has at least one experienced safeguarding professional as a Diocesan Safeguarding Adviser (many have a larger team), and they will do the assessment and draw up the plan, and include the probation services.

If the individual is hounded from this church and moves onto another then they may go 'underground' and try to hide their attendance from the relevant authorities, which is far more dangerous for everyone.

If you have genuine concerns and are sure you have the right person then all you can do is let the police know. If he's breaching licence conditions, they will deal with it. But odds are he's not.

What you should not do is start spreading rumours.

when a paedophile relative of mine came out of prison and wanted to attend church, the leaders were informed and he was asked to attend an evening service where the kids were older than the age he offended against. Maybe you could suggest that to the leadership.

There won’t be anything that prevents him being in church.

Everyone in the church knows who he is and what he’s done. He admitted it.

Thanks to all who responded

So what do you want done, if everyone knows and he has admitted it then let the Minister deal with it.

Think the op answers that question @HappyHamsters

By having a quiet word with parents of kids attending the church? I don't think so.