THE number of sex offenders living in Thames Valley increased in the last year, new figures show.

Police forces, probation services and other government agencies supervise and keep track of sex offenders and violent criminals in communities across England and Wales through multi-agency public protection arrangements.

Data from the Ministry of Justice shows 2,067 people convicted of sex crimes were being managed under MAPPAs in the Thames Valley policing area at the end of March this year, up from 1,959 the year previous.

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The rate of sex offenders among residents in the area now stands at 93 in 100,000 people – up from 92 in 2021.

Sex offenders made up 75 per cent of those being managed through MAPPAs in Thames Valley this year.

There were also 673 violent offenders and 15 other dangerous offenders under the arrangements in the area.

Nationally, 66,741 sex offenders are on MAPPAs, up 4 per cent on last year and up 65 per cent from ten years ago. The rate of sex offenders among the population was 126 per 100,000 at the end of March this year.

A Ministry of Justice spokesperson said: "The number of sex offenders being monitored increases every year as many are put on the sex offenders register for life when they are convicted."

There were 22,304 violent offenders and 393 other dangerous offenders under MAPPAs across England and Wales at the end of March.

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The Ministry of Justice recorded a significant jump in sexual harm prevention orders last year, which coincided with a 57 per cent increase in the number of people convicted of sexual offences in 2020-21 following the relaxation of COVID-19 restrictions on courts.

SHPOs are applied when the court believes a protection order is needed to protect the public from sexual harm and can include a ban on foreign travel to protect children from sexual harm abroad.

A total of 5,753 SHPOs were handed down nationally in the year to March – up 33 per cent from 4,325 in 2020-21. Of these, 170 were imposed on offenders in Thames Valley last year.

Rachel Almeida, Victim Support assistant director of knowledge and insight, said the charity is ‘extremely worried’ about an increase in sexual violence – and particularly rape – being reported to police nationally.

She said it comes in the context of ‘poor conviction rates and horrendous court delays’.

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Ms Almedia added: "It is vital that these reports are taken seriously and that the justice system has the resources to ensure that victims get the care, support and protection they need – and that justice is served.”

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