§ Mrs. GillanTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether people convicted of sex offences abroad are supervised or monitored on their return to the UK. [172354]
§ Paul Goggins[holding answer 11 May 2004]: The Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) which we placed on a statutory basis in 2001, provide a robust framework within which sexual and violent offenders are managed on a multi-agency basis in the community. The scope of the MAPPA includes those who were convicted of sexual offences abroad and have returned to the UK.
The Sexual Offences Act 2003 introduced a new civil order—the notification order. This order enables offenders who have been convicted or cautioned for a sexual offence overseas to be made subject to the notification requirements of Part 2 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003. The notification order is an important new tool which will help the police and probation services manage offenders who have committed sexual offences overseas.
The police can also apply to the courts for a sexual offences prevention order (SOPO) to be made against an offender convicted of a sexual offence overseas who is living in the UK and who poses a risk of serious sexual harm. A SOPO can set prohibitions on an offender and will also make him subject to the notification requirements for the duration of the order.