Our sex criminal figures revealed

4:01am Wednesday 24th October 2007

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ESSEX has the lowest proportion of sex offenders living in the community compared with other counties across the UK.

The county has 40 offenders - who committed offences such as rape and sexual assault - living in the community per 100,000 people.

The national average of registered sex offenders per 100,000 population was 60.

Humberside had the highest number of registered sex offenders, with 73 per 100,000. Essex had the lowest rate, followed by London with 43.

But Essex was one of only seven areas where a high-risk offender living in the community went on to commit another serious crime.

Rory Griffin had only been released from jail for 13 days after serving a five-year sentence for raping a teenager when he struck again.

The 23-year-old, who had been staying at Felmores Bail Hostel, in Basildon, raped a 50-year-old woman in nearby Northlands Park. He was jailed for 12 years last January.

Lynne Mckay, of Essex Probation Service, said the authorities faced a tough challenge to deal with serious offenders released from jail. She said: "Most offenders have to be released from prison at some point and that's the law.

"It's the job of Essex Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements - Mappa - to plan for accommodating any offender who poses a risk of harm. Hostels are far safer than putting offenders in B&Bs.

"Of the 2,000 potentially serious offenders referred to Essex Mappa over the last five years, since the new public protection arrangements were first introduced, only two have seriously re-offended."

Mrs Mckay said a report outlining Essex protection arrangement plans to deal with serious offenders released from jail will be released in the next few weeks.

The Essex figures came as it was revealed that nationally the number of high-risk offenders, convicted for murder, rape or other serious offences, living in the community rose by a third.

And 83 freed criminals were charged with a further offence while under the supervision of probation and other agencies.