Sex offenders who change their name without informing the police could be jailed under new laws to stop dangerous predators going under the radar.
Labour MP Sarah Champion has been campaigning for a clamp down on sex abusers being able to assume new identities after a string of convicted offenders slipped through the net.
The new clause will permit police to stop registered sex offenders from changing their names on documents including passports, driving licences and immigration documents without prior approval from the police.
The loop hole previously allowed sex offenders to change their name and gender.
It comes after killer Ian Huntley changed his name to Ian Nixon which meant previous offences didn’t show up in vetting before he was employed as a school caretaker.
He later went on to murder schoolgirls Jessica Chapman and Holly Wells.
Safeguarding Minister Laura Farris has now confirmed the amendment will be included in the upcoming Criminal Justice Bill.
Farris wrote the measures would “complement existing systems” and help prevent sex offenders from obtaining Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) certificates or clean passports “in order to gain access to vulnerable people”.
More to follow…
