Sussex Police chief to be quizzed over missing sex offenders

SUSSEX police is taking steps to locate the 11 registered sex offenders who are currently missing from their area.
Chief constable Giles YorkChief constable Giles York
Chief constable Giles York

Sussex Police and crime commissioner Katy Bourne will seek assurances about how offenders are monitored when she questions chief constable Giles York at a police scrutiny meeting next week.

The monthly performance and accountability meeting (PAM) takes place on Wednesday, March 18, and ahead of it Mrs Bourne said: “It was recently reported that a number of registered sex offenders had gone missing in Sussex and were still unaccounted for.

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“I understand that many residents will find this news alarming, which is why I’ll be asking Mr York what proactive measures Sussex Police is taking to locate these individuals and what assurances he can provide about the ongoing registration and management of sex offenders in Sussex.”

Katy Bourne, PCC for Sussex PoliceKaty Bourne, PCC for Sussex Police
Katy Bourne, PCC for Sussex Police

A total of 396 registered sex offenders are on the loose across the UK with their whereabouts unknown, figures obtained by the Press Association have revealed.

Fox hunting will also be on the agenda for next Wednesday’s meeting, which can be watched live online.

“I will also be asking the chief constable about how the force polices hunts as I know it can be a challenge for the police to manage the rights of the hunting community with the rights of those protesting against their activity,” Mrs Bourne said.

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“I would like to know how the police ensure they strike the right balance and a consistent response across Sussex and Surrey given that the hunts regularly cross in and out of our geographical borders.

Mrs Bourne added: “This month’s PAM also falls on national child sexual exploitation (CSE) awareness day.

“New measures have been announced this month to tackle CSE and it has now been prioritised by the Government as a national threat. “I will be finding out more about what the key areas of risk are and how Sussex Police is responding to these and working with partners to raise awareness and encourage reporting of CSE in Sussex.”

Other items on the agenda will include the new Sussex Local Policing Model, which was unveiled earlier this month, new measures to tackle terrorist threats and the policing of the upcoming general election.

Watch the meeting live online here: http://www.sussex-pcc.public-i.tv/

A recording will be available to view online shortly afterwards and you can follow on Twitter with the hashtag #SusPolScrutiny.