Well done to the officer who caught a wanted sex offender during a routine seatbelt check in Oxford yesterday.

The officer was part of a team in Botley Road pulling over motorists who were driving without their seatbelts on.

And while that sort of exercise usually irks some drivers, we should all be particularly grateful that one eagle-eyed detective recognised the face of an offender wanted by the law.

The man who was stopped — who police described as in his 50s and a "low-level" offender living somewhere in Oxfordshire — was wearing a seatbelt, but was wanted for failing to comply with the terms of the Sex Offenders' Register.

He was promptly arrested and charged.

It is often easy to knock the police, but it is only right that they should be given a pat on the back when they do a good job.

Their vigilance is the reason we can largely sleep safe in our beds.