More than 900 sex offenders have disappeared off the police radar with many thought to have disguised their identities by changing their names and not telling officers, Sky News has discovered.
The simple deed poll process takes 15 minutes online and over 1,300 sex offenders have already done it since committing their offences and have informed authorities.
Campaigners are warning that while it is an offence for people on the sex offenders register to change their names without telling officials, that's not incentive enough for them not to do it - as it's easy to do and common practice.
Image:At least 1,349 sex offenders notified authorities they had changed their name by deed poll. File pic
A Freedom of Information (FOI) request to the 43 police forces in England and Wales found there were 1,349 sex offenders who had notified the authorities they had changed their name by deed poll, since committing their offences. (About half the forces couldn't provide data on this).
Changing their names makes it more difficult for members of the public to do an online check into a person's history.
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But more worrying, the Safeguarding Alliance also asked police forces, in addition to this figure, how many sex offenders have gone missing. Only 16 police forces provided data, but it amounted to 913 offenders.
It's thought many of these have changed their names and chosen not to tell the police.
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Emily Konstantas from the Safeguarding Alliance said: "When we first started looking into this, we couldn't quite believe it. That's why we started requesting FOIs. This is a flaw in the current legal system and it's a flaw that's going to be exploited."
Sky News found numerous cases in the British courts where names had changed, but the individual was the same and their offence repeated.
Image:Della Wright was raped by Terry Price from the age of six
Image: When Price changed his name again, Ms Wright said it made her feel like a child again
A sex offender called Terry Price conducted a string of sexual offences over three decades and has changed his name five times in an effort to cover up his recurring pattern of behaviour.
Della Wright, 47, was repeatedly raped by Price from the age of six, back in the early 1980s.
After having her own children, Ms Wright recently found the courage to report the crimes - but she discovered her attacker was called Robert McEwan (also a sex offender).
She waived her right to anonymity to highlight this issue in the hope that the laws will change to make it impossible for sex offenders to change their identities.
Ms Wright told Sky News: "I just thought how many relationships has he had? How many jobs has he had around children? We don't know but we know he's a prolific offender. It makes me really angry and it shouldn't be possible.
"This person has been through the system not once but countless times - and even as recently as 2016 he was allowed to change his name again whilst in prison."
Image:Terry Price changed his name to Robert McEwan and then Mr Mac
Emily Konstantas added: "When they change their name, they effectively go under the radar of all the authorities - they can obtain a new passport, they can obtain a new driving licence and essentially they can erase their past.
"The onus is on them to inform police, but they are often manipulative by nature. If a sexual offender is on the sex offender register, there must be a system where it's not just reliant on that offender to tell the truth."
The Safeguarding Alliance asked the Disclosure and Baring Service (DBS) how they guard against this. They replied: "The DBS does not undertake any background checks regarding applicants changing their name by deed poll."
So, what then about the laws put in place to allow people to check on the history of people?
Image:Over 900 sex offenders have disappeared off the police radar. File pic
Sarah's Law followed the murder of Sarah Payne in 2000 and is a disclosure scheme so people can check if someone with access to children has a record of child sex offences.
Clare's Law was introduced in 2014 by then home secretary Theresa May to allow women to check to see whether partners have an abusive past.
Survivor Della Wright said: "Clare's law, Sarah's law - they are redundant now. They are only as good as the name given on that day. If you go and ask has Joe Bloggs got a history? Well no he doesn't because his name was Dave Jones yesterday."
The Safeguarding Alliance has now launched a parliamentary petition to "revoke the right of registered sex offenders to change their name by deed poll".
Image:Emily Konstantas from the Safeguarding Alliance
Ahead of his trial in 2016, Della Wright's attacker changed his name again to Mr Mac, so he was unable to enter a plea because the charges were against Robert McEwan. The process was disrupted for several weeks. Ms Wright believes he did it in the hope she would lose her nerve.
She said: "He was allowed again to have full control, and in that moment, I was a child again because he was full in control."
Mr Mac (Terry Price, Robert McEwan) was eventually convicted in November 2017 of raping Ms Wright and was sentenced to 22 years in custody with five years extended licence.
A Home Office spokesperson said: "We are determined to prevent serious criminals from hiding their pasts and will not tolerate sex offenders trying to evade the justice system.
"Sex offenders who fail to tell police of a name change already face tough prison sentences.
"We are working with the courts and DBS to ensure measures are strengthened and continuously reviewed in order to protect the public."
A TORNADO left a trail of destruction after it ripped through Northampton causing thousands of pounds of damage to homes and allotments.
Fences and trees were knocked down, tiles blown off roofs and large parts of an allotment destroyed on Saturday.
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An allotment in Northampton was badly affected by the tornado's impactCredit: SWNS:South West News Service
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The tornado was spotted at around 8.15pm yesterdayCredit: SWNS:South West News Service
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Thousands of pounds worth of damage was caused by the tornadoCredit: SWNS:South West News Service
Tina Brown said: "We were sitting watching TV when I caught sight of some large cylinder-shaped objects in the sky.
"I thought 'What on earth are they?'.
"Seconds later the wind got up really strong in our back garden, the sound was frightening.
"I was sitting near the window so I quickly moved away.
"Some large troughs I had against one side of my garden took flight and landed on the opposite side.
"My garden fencing is held up with thick concrete posts.
"One concrete post was blown down along-side two fence panels."
Laura Brown, from Moulton, said: "I saw you posted an article an hour ago saying it’s not treated as a tornado unless it touches ground. Well, I live on the outskirts of Moulton and it certainly hit the ground behind the back of my house.
"The allotments behind us had severe damage and we had sheds fully intact flying towards the back of our houses, trees came down, garden fences and walls, tiles off the roof of the houses."
Peter Hubbard, who lives just metres away, said: "The whole length of the allotments at the rear of our garden suffered extensive damage.
"I would say the width of the extensive damage was actually quite small where the funnel passed but it coincided with the row of sheds.
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Wooden fences were ripped up when the tornado struckCredit: SWNS:South West News Service
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A local resident surveys the damage causedCredit: SWNS:South West News Service
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The tornado could be seen moving along the Northampton countrysideCredit: SWNS:South West News Service
"Most had roofs torn off or turned over. Greenhouses in the path of the tornado were twisted and smashed.
"The large water tanks which, even when empty, must weigh 20kg had been thrown around like they were paper.
"Our house is about 40 metres away and our garden furniture was blown around but we suffered no damage thankfully.
"As it was around 8.15pm and still light there may have been people working on their allotments but we didn’t see anybody who was injured when we arrived."
Ben Ireland, who lives in Moulton, said: "Some areas are flattened, others look untouched.
"There are about 50 allotment owners on site looking at the damage.
"There's smashed glass everywhere." Tornadoes are fairly common in the United Kingdom, with an average of 34 reported every year.
The Met Office says a tornado is "a rapidly rotating column of air that reaches between the base of a storm cloud and the Earth's surface.
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They form in very unsettled weather conditions.
Many conditions need to be present for a tornado to form but, when these conditions are met, a violently whirling mass of air, known as a vortex, forms beneath the storm cloud".
It adds: "If it continues stretching and intensifying for long enough the vortex touches the ground, at which point it becomes classified as a tornado."
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The tornado ripped through the allotment yesterday eveningCredit: SWNS:South West News Service
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A number of allotment sheds were completely destroyedCredit: SWNS:South West News Service
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The tornado appeared close to homes in NorthamptonCredit: SWNS:South West News Service
The parents of a young man whose death in a crash sparked an international diplomatic row have dropped their legal action against Northamptonshire Police.
Harry Dunn, 19, was fatally injured outside RAF Croughton in August.
His family began legal action against the force and the Foreign Office after US suspect Anne Sacoolas left the UK, citing diplomatic immunity.
After seeing documents disclosed in the case the family said the "police are absolved of any blame".
The information provided for the court proceedings showed the force "could have done no more last August and September to ensure that Mrs Sacoolas was brought to justice", said family spokesman Radd Seiger.
Police had been "kept in the dark" by the FCO (Foreign & Commonwealth Office) about uncertainty relating to Mrs Sacoolas' immunity status, he said.
Mr Seiger said: "Our case remains that the documents clearly show how the police investigation was effectively stopped in its tracks abruptly when the Foreign Office told the police shortly after Harry died that Mrs Sacoolas had diplomatic immunity."
Northamptonshire Police previously said it was "not informed" by the FCO of the arrangements that allowed Mrs Sacoolas to claim diplomatic immunity.
A two-day judicial review hearing at the High Court in November is scheduled, with Mr Dunn's parents, Tim Dunn and Charlotte Charles, claiming the foreign secretary "obstructed justice" by allowing Mrs Sacoolas to leave the UK.
Northamptonshire Police were brought into the legal claim in January.
The force will continue to be involved in the claim as an "interested party", said Mr Seiger.
SAFARI park baboons were seen armed with knives, screwdrivers and a CHAINSAW as workers fear pranksters gave them weapons to wreck cars.
The primates at Knowsley safari park, Merseyside, are long known to pounce on anyone pausing in the enclosure and ripping off a windscreen wiper or mirror.
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Baboons have been armed with knives, screwdrivers and even chainsaws at Knowsley safari park, MerseysideCredit: Rex Features
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Workers fear pranksters are arming the pesky primates, who are known to pounce on anyone who pauses and rip off windscreen wipers and mirrorsCredit: Rex Features
Workers now fear they are being armed with the lethal weapons "for a laugh" by visitors to bolster their attacks and the apes have even been seen rummaging around toolboxes themselves.
One park worker told The Sunday Times: “We’re not sure if they are being given weapons by some of the guests who want to see them attack cars, or if they’re fishing them out of pick-up trucks and vans.
"They will literally go into people’s toolboxes and carry them around. One of the baboons was seen lugging around a chainsaw.”
Another worker said: “The baboons have been found with knives and screwdrivers. I do wonder if it’s some of the guests handing them out.”
And the baboon attacks are so inevitable that mechanics across the northwest of England have come to know the enclosure well.
One mechanic in Sale, Greater Manchester said people know what to expect at the park and that he has had two customers fall victim to the baboons this year.
They added that one minute kids want monkeys on the car and the next it has no registration plate - but the issue provides "good money" for the garage.
Knowsley reopened on June 15 with Covid-19 security measures after insisting it was as safe as a McDonald’s drive-through as visitors do not leave their car on the five mile safari drive.
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The 550-acre park, home to lions, tigers, rhinos, wildebeest and camels, dismissed reports of armed apes as an urban myth.
A spokesperson said: “We believe many of these stories have grown in exaggeration as they’ve been retold, with embellishment to make the objects that are sometimes found in the enclosure seem more exciting and unbelievable."
In 2012 car manufacturer Hyundai let 40 monkeys from the park loose on its New Generation i30 model for 10 hours to prove it had the strength for families with small children.
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Workers fear apes have been given the lethal weapons "for a laugh"Credit: Rex Features
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One worker said: "They will literally go into people’s toolboxes and carry them around. One of the baboons was seen lugging around a chainsaw.”Credit: Rex Features
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In 2012 car manufacturer Hyundai let 40 monkeys from the park loose on its New Generation i30 model for 10 hours to prove it had the strength for families with small childrenCredit: Rex Features
A Government source accused the EU of slowing down negotiations in all areas - not just on difficult issues such as fishing and the so-called level playing field. But the UK side is keen to leave the sticking points until last and make progress where they can.
A source told The Sunday Telegraph: "The particular way the EU insisted on parallelism led to paralysis.
“Obviously everything needs to be up for discussion, but it makes no sense to have everything going at the speed of the most difficult issues.
"Now they need to adapt their approach to make sure talks throughout the summer don't suffer from unnecessary roadblocks."
Boris Johnson’s Europe adviser David Frost warned "considerable gaps remain in the most difficult areas" after the last round of trade talks.
Nigel Farage has insisted the UK must be “completely free” of EU rules when the transition period ends on December 31.
Writing for the Express, the Brexit Party leader said: “We need to make sure that when we complete the withdrawal process on December 31, we are completely free of EU rules.
“Anything less than that would be a betrayal of the referendum vote and the huge general election victory.”
He added that the “best hope” for Britain amid the coronavirus crisis is to “emerge confident and strong is for us to be out of this failed project”.
Britons have reacted furiously to a demand from Michel Barnier for European fishing boats to be allowed access to UK waters beyond the Brexit transition period.
Reacting to the story on Facebook, one Express.co.uk reader said: "Barnier still treating the UK as if we haven't left.
"His demands no longer work. David Frost is right to stand for what is rightfully ours."
A second warned: "During the Brexit process and when the EU believed we wouldn't leave, they made us dance to their tune and treated us with total contempt.
"They had the power purely because of Remainers giving them the confidence to stand firm.
"Now they are the on the back foot and they know ultimately they will have to dance to our tune and they hate it."
Another outraged reader wrote: "He is threatening US with No Deal if we don't back down?
"Hasn't he figured out if he accepts our terms the EU gets some fishing on an annually renewable licence.
"If we leave on WTO term they get NOTHING. Our Waters, Our Fish, NOT the EU’s."
Boris Johnson’s strong stance on not extending the transition period beyond December 2020 has been praised by Brexiteer Emily Hewertson.
Ms Hewertson said: "I think we fell into the EU’s trap last time round when we were negotiating the transition period.
"We just kept extending it and extending and it obviously did not work.
"Finally, we have Boris who is strong and says ‘we are going to leave with no deal if you do not give us something’ and ding dong guess what we suddenly get something.
"The EU finally decided to budge a little bit, so I think we are in a really strong position now."
7.30am update: Informal talks to resume next week
The EU’s chief negotiator Michel Barnier will travel to London next week for informal talks.
The next round of negotiations is planned for the end of August.
Boris Johnson will set out his strategy to tackle obesity on Monday - including a 12-week plan for people lose weight and cycling being prescribed by GPs.
Ministers estimate that about two-thirds of adults in the UK are above a healthy weight.
Labour said "radical action" on obesity was long overdue.
It is not yet clear how much new money will be allocated to the anti-obesity drive.
Mr Johnson has admitted that his own weight was a factor in how badly he suffered from coronavirus.
The government estimates that overweight and obesity related conditions are costing the NHS more than £6bn each year.
There were nearly 900,000 obesity related hospital admissions in 2018/19, with obesity a risk factor for chronic diseases including type 2 diabetes, some cancers, liver and respiratory disease.
The "Better Health" campaign will aim to reach 35 million people in a bid "to help them lose weight and live healthier lives", the government said.
This will be supported by a 12-week plan that people can use to develop healthier eating habits, get more active and lose weight.
A government spokesman said: "Covid-19 has given us all a wake-up call of the immediate and long-term risks of being overweight, and the prime minister is clear we must use this moment to get healthier, more active and eat better.
"We will be urging the public to use this moment to take stock of how they live their lives, and to take simple steps to lose weight, live healthier lives, and reduce pressure on the NHS."
Under the plans, NHS weight loss services will be expanded so more people get support, and GPs will be encouraged to prescribe cycling in pilot areas identified as having poor health outcomes.
Surgeries will provide access to bikes and ministers are promising local cycling infrastructure will be improved.
This may include segregated cycle lanes, low traffic neighbourhoods and secure cycle parking.
The government is also expected to ban junk food adverts online and before 21:00 on TV, while promotions on snacks will be curbed.
According to the Daily Mail, restaurant and takeaway chains will have to publish the number of calories in the meals they serve - while shops will have to do the same with any alcohol they sell.
Labour's shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth said the UK was facing an "obesity crisis".
"Radical action on obesity is long overdue. Years of Tory cuts to public health budgets and the backsliding on a pre-watershed ban on junk food advertising have left us with some of the worst rates of childhood obesity anywhere in the world," he said.
