BY MARK MCKELVEY
There are 13 paedophiles and sex offenders currently being monitored by Police in the Strabane district area it was revealed this week, one more than this time last year.
This is only the second year that there has been a regional breakdown of where offenders are living. The system for monitoring sex offenders was given a complete overhaul following the murder of Sion Mills pensioner Attracta Harron by convicted rapist Trevor Hamilton in 2003.
Committee chairman, assistant chief constable Drew Harris, said protecting the public was a top priority and that they had learnt lessons since the Hamilton case.
"I think what Trevor Hamilton showed is the extent of the deviousness and lengths that some individuals are prepared to go to," he said. "We have since revamped and beefed up our process."
Hamilton, who had only been released from prison four months previous, was said at the time to be the most monitored sex offender in all of the North, but was still able to abduct and murder Attracta Harron.
Assistant chief constable Harris feels they now have a system that means the public are safe from similar predators.
He said, "There is now a well-defined system in place, coupled with real commitment to working together, to make Northern Ireland's homes, streets and communities safer for all our families."
These figures were revealed yesterday (Wednesday) in the NI Sex Offender Strategic Management Committee's annual report, which stated nearly 700 paedophiles and sex offenders are being monitored across the North.
The committee includes representatives from the police, probation, prisons and social services, along with the Housing Executive, various government departments and voluntary agencies.
Its report, Managing the Risk, said 687 men and three women in Northern Ireland were on the Sex Offenders Register by the end of March. That is a rise of 70 (11%) on last year and this is largely due to new convictions.
There are 43 offenders that are classed as high risk, however only four of which are living in the community. The spokesperson for the task-force said due to data protection they are not permitted to disclose what district areas these four are living, therefore he couldn't confirm or deny if those judged as high risk are living in the Strabane area.
Out of the 270 said to be of medium risk - 237 are living in the community and the 457 deemed to be low risk sex offenders, only seven are in prison, with the rest living in the community being monitored by police.
Constable Harris said, "I know that the public wants, and deserves, to know more about what takes place in relation to the management of the risk posed by sex offenders.
"This report provides an excellent opportunity to continue that process. We are also looking closely at how we can improve communications and information flow in both directions to increase understanding and to help allay concerns."
