ECPAT UK published a new report at the start of this week entitled ‘Off the Radar: Protecting Children from British Sex Offenders who Travel’. The report highlights the failures of the UK to respond to the sexual exploitation of children by travelling sex offenders and calls for a cross–government strategy to deal effectively with the investigation and prosecution of child sexual offences committed by Britons abroad.

One of our recommendations in the report is for the Government to take immediate action to close the 3-day loophole, which currently allows known sex offenders to travel abroad for up to 3 days without having to notify the authorities of their intent to go overseas.

ECPAT UK is pleased to note that during Prime Minister’s Questions yesterday, 16 February, in the House of Commons, David Cameron announced his intention to close the 3-day loophole, stating “We will ... use the opportunity to close some loopholes in the sex offenders register. For instance, we will make it compulsory for sex offenders to report to the authorities before any travel.”

As you may remember from previous ECPAT UK reports, then Home Secretary Jacqui Smith gave a similar statement back in 2008, but no action was taken. ECPAT UK will therefore be closely monitoring the Government to ensure that they fulfil their commitment to close the 3-day loophole in order to better protect children from British travelling sex offenders.

Thank you to all our supporters who wrote to their MPs asking them to urge James Brokenshire MP, Minister for Crime Prevention, to close the 3-day loophole immediately.

Read ‘Off the Radar: Protecting Children from British Sex Offenders who Travel’

Read the text of Prime Minister’s Questions on 16 February 2011 here.