Plans for sex offender email register

The Home Office is considering making sex offenders register their e-mail addresses and chat room names.

Home Secretary John Reid said he may make paedophiles put online identity details on the Sex Offenders Register.

Mechanisms would be set up to “flag up” approaches by them to sites popular among youngsters, he told the BBC.

Mr Reid said: “We already have probably the toughest regime in Europe for identifying sex offenders. But although we are strong, we have to keep ahead of the game and I want to bring in stronger, broader powers to protect our children.”

He told the BBC: “If we did that we would then be able to set up mechanisms that would flag up anyone using those addresses or those identities to make approaches and contacts through some of the very popular internet spaces which are used by kids.”

Child internet safety expert John Carr, of children`s charity NCH, said: “This is a very welcome move.

“It will mean that we can extend the Sex Offenders Register regime into cyberspace and that will be a great comfort to many people.”

Under present rules, sex offenders must list their name and address on the Sex Offenders Register for a period of years after conviction or even for the rest of their lives.

Last month newspaper reports said police forces across the UK had lost track of 322 convicted sex offenders.

This coincides with Safer Internet Day, a worldwide event, organised by European Schoolnet, intended to raise awareness among parents, teachers and young people of the risks associated with use of the net.

Events are being held in 31 nations and a blogathon will record activities held as far apart as Australia and Canada.