Provision of information held by Northumbria Police made under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (the 'Act')
As you may be aware the purpose of the Act is to allow a general right of access to information held at the time of a request, by a Public Authority (including the Police), subject to certain limitations and exemptions.
You asked:
1. How many sex offenders are registered in your force area whose whereabouts are unknown as of January 17th, 2018?
2. Of the registered sex offenders whose whereabouts are unknown, when did each one go missing?
3. Please provide the names of the registered sex offenders whose whereabouts are unknown and the convictions that resulted in each one being placed on the sex offenders' register.
If you are unable to provide a response to question 3, please provide a response to questions 1 and 2 only.
In Response:
We have now had the opportunity to fully consider your request and I provide a response for your attention.
Following receipt of your request, searches were conducted within Northumbria Police. I can confirm that the information you have requested is held by Northumbria Police.
To note – we have responded in line with your comment ‘If you are unable to provide a response to question 3, please provide a response to questions 1 and 2 only’. As the names of the offenders would attract S40(2) exemption, we have provided as much information as possible without having to use exemptions to withhold.
Additionally points 2 and 3 have been provided in an uncorrelated format, it should not be taken that the offences at point 3 are listed in the same order as the dates at point 2.
On this occasion we have considered no harm in the disclosure of this information however that may not be the case should we receive similar requests in the future.
If you decide to write an article / use the enclosed data we would expect that you to take into consideration the factors highlighted above so as not to mislead members of the public or official bodies or misrepresent the relevance of the whole or any part of this disclosed material.
With the above in mind we therefore are able to disclose the located information to you as follows.
1.In relation to the number of registered sexual offenders whose whereabouts are unknown, Northumbria Police has as of the date of your request 5 RSOs currently recorded as wanted because their whereabouts are unknown. This total is only valid for the date in question because the information is dynamic and will change as arrests are made or new cases come to light through proactive intelligence led policing or routine visits to registered offenders.
2.
1x2005
2x2017
2x2018
3.
Sex Act on female child
Attempting to Cause or Incite a Child to Engage in Sexual Activity
Rape Male Under 16
Sexual Assault, Female Child Under 16
Indecent Assault – Female Child
