Sex offences have and still are rising astronomically in the UK. Statistics show that over the past ten years the number of registered sex offenders living in the community has risen by more than 80 percent. Between 2006 and 2007, the number of rapists, paedophiles and other sex offenders in the UK, was 30,416. Ten years later (2016-2017), the number has risen to 55,236 sex offenders living in the UK supposedly living under police supervision and other probation services that the general government are paying for through tax. However, how supervised are these sex offenders?

Matthew Falder is one terrific example of a sex offender within the UK. Branded “one of Britain’s most prolific paedophiles. He was sentenced to 30 years for blackmailing his online victims into sending him pictures that are deemed as degrading. He also forced his victims into attacking, raping and assaulting others. Due to the UK justice system being fairly relaxed, Matthew will probably serve around half of his sentence… But what will happen when he is released?

A white Sheffield sex grooming gang, who forced a 15 year old girl into having sex with around 40 men for money, got jailed for a total of 30 years. The gang consisted of three brothers, Chris Whiteley aged 23, Matthew Whiteley aged 25 and Shane Whiteley aged 30. Their awful crime consisted of supplying a 15 year old girl with drugs and alcohol and then continued on to forcing her to have sex with around 40 men for unwanted money at the end of each assault. Chris received 15 years, Matthew received seven years and Shane received eight years, of which they will most likely only serve half of their sentences. So again begs the question, what happens to these awful criminals after they’re released?

Sex offenders that are cautioned, or just released from prison, are added to the sex register. The sex register has every offender from 10th September 1997, when the register first came about. Sex offenders have to register within three days of any cautions or release dates and then they must continue registration on a set basis. Sex offenders that are sentenced with any jail sentence from 30-months to life after they’re release means that they will have to indefinitely register. Jail sentences that are between six to 30 months, after release the offenders have to register for ten years and any sentence below six months, the offender has to register for up to seven years.

Victim helplines:
Rape Crisis:
Helpline: 0808 802 9999 (12-2:30 and 7-9:30)
rapecrisis.org.uk
Nspcc:
Helpline: 0808 800 5000 (24 hours, every day)
nspcc.org.uk

The problem is that this system doesn’t necessarily stop offenders from offending again. Between 2017 and 2018, 12 sex offenders, of which were previously registered in the West Midlands, were charged with further major offences. Situations like this are constantly getting worse and are happening more and more often justice is just not being served to these awful monsters so the main question now is, is the only way to stop this, the death penalty?
As stated, this is constantly increasing so instead of sitting by and watching WE need to do something!

By Alissa Cook-Gray

Sources:
https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/4042396/sex-offender-register-number-people-record/
https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/how-many-sex-offenders-living-15330430
https://www.britishtan.co.uk/white-child-sex-grooming-gang-who-forced-15-year-old-girl-to-have-sex-with-up-to-40-men-for-money-is-jailed/