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| Sex offender law loophole exposed | Sex offender law loophole exposed |
| (2 days later) | |
| A legal loophole enabling sex offenders to avoid providing police with a full address has been revealed. | A legal loophole enabling sex offenders to avoid providing police with a full address has been revealed. |
| Freed sex offenders, including paedophiles, can provide a location such as "somewhere in the woods" if they are homeless. | Freed sex offenders, including paedophiles, can provide a location such as "somewhere in the woods" if they are homeless. |
| It emerged after a convicted sex offender went missing after telling police he was living rough in Kent. | It emerged after a convicted sex offender went missing after telling police he was living rough in Kent. |
| A Home Office spokeswoman said: "It is a fact of life that not all offenders have a permanent address." | A Home Office spokeswoman said: "It is a fact of life that not all offenders have a permanent address." |
| However, she added: "Under the Sexual Offences Act 2003 those with no fixed abode must give a location where they can regularly be found. | However, she added: "Under the Sexual Offences Act 2003 those with no fixed abode must give a location where they can regularly be found. |
| "They need to be there and checks will be carried out by the police. | "They need to be there and checks will be carried out by the police. |
| "If you breach the conditions of the sex offenders' register you will be prosecuted." | "If you breach the conditions of the sex offenders' register you will be prosecuted." |
| An address is needed in order to make regular checks that a person will not re-offend, as well as to make immediate checks in the event of a crime being committed. | An address is needed in order to make regular checks that a person will not re-offend, as well as to make immediate checks in the event of a crime being committed. |
| For example, police officers can carry out checks on the homes of known offenders if a child is missing and believed to have been abducted. | For example, police officers can carry out checks on the homes of known offenders if a child is missing and believed to have been abducted. |
| The loophole is believed to have existed since the register was established in 2001, although it has never been made public. | The loophole is believed to have existed since the register was established in 2001, although it has never been made public. |
| The sex offender who went missing after saying he would be living rough in Kent was eventually tracked down in Devon and taken to court, where he received a conditional discharge. | The sex offender who went missing after saying he would be living rough in Kent was eventually tracked down in Devon and taken to court, where he received a conditional discharge. |