There are more registered sex offenders living in England and Wales than ever before, with the number almost doubling in just 13 years.
There were 70,052 registered sex offenders living in the country’s police force areas at the end of March 2024. This is the equivalent of one for every 763 people aged 10 and over.
But Teesside’s data tops the national average. There is one sex offender for every 562 people aged over 10, the data shows. Our area also has the third highest area compared to population. Teesside has 178 category 1 offenders per 100,000 population.
A Cleveland Police spokesperson told Teesside Live that the force has a team of specially trained officers who manage registered sex offenders across Teesside. “The team who manage these offenders work in line with robust national policies and processes and work closely with partner agencies to share intelligence and identify any changes in behaviour that may result in increased risk to the public,” they said.
“They also check if any breaches have been identified and a vigorous approach is taken to mitigate this risk. Officers also work hard to identify people who aren’t convicted but displaying concerning behaviours, this could involve utilising civil orders which require certain conditions to be adhered to or refrains from engaging in specified behaviours.
“The force also partakes in thematic days of action such as Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) to target individuals and raise awareness that ultimately ensures the safety and protection of our community which is always our highest priority.”
Compared to March 2023, the number of sex offenders in England and Wales has risen by 2.5%, from 68,357, and is now the highest on record. It has also risen by 85% over the past 13 years, since the police force level figures were first published at the end of 2010/11.
Back then, there were 36,921 registered sex offenders living here. The figures released by the Ministry of Justice cover offenders managed by Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) aimed at preventing further offences.
Sex offenders are required to notify the police of certain details, with further notification required if any of those details change (sometimes referred to as ‘being on the sex offenders register’). Some parts of the country have a higher proportion of sex offenders living there than elsewhere.
County Durham had a total of 1,123 sex offenders living in its police force area. That works out as 196 for every 100,000 people, or the equivalent of one for every 510 people aged 10 or above.
That’s the highest concentration of any police force area in the country. Gwent had a total of 991, which works out as one for every 532 people aged over 10.
Teesside has one for every 562 people aged over 10, while Lancashire has one for every 562 people.
By contrast, Hertfordshire has one sex offender for every 1,266 people aged over 10 living in the area. That’s the lowest ratio in the country.
Surrey has the next lowest ratio, with one for every 1,266 people. London has one for every 1,099 people, while Thames Valley has one for every 1,064.
Areas with the most sex offenders relative to population
Area: Category 1 offenders per 100,000 population – 2023/24
County Durham: 196
Gwent: 188
Teesside: 178
Lancashire: 178
North Wales: 175
Greater Manchester: 173
Humberside: 172
West Yorkshire: 165
Merseyside: 158
Northumbria: 155
South Wales: 155
Norfolk: 148
South Yorkshire: 147
Cheshire: 147
Cumbria: 145
West Midlands: 144
Suffolk: 144
Derbyshire: 140
Staffordshire: 138
Dyfed-Powys: 138
Sussex: 137
Nottinghamshire: 136
Devon and Cornwall: 134
Northamptonshire: 132
Lincolnshire: 131
West Mercia: 130
Hampshire: 130
North Yorkshire : 125
Cambridgeshire: 124
Dorset: 123
Gloucestershire: 123
Warwickshire: 121
Wiltshire: 119
Essex: 119
Kent: 118
Bedfordshire: 118
Avon and Somerset: 115
Leicestershire: 114
Thames Valley: 94
London: 91
Surrey: 79
Hertfordshire: 79
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