Rapist not checked due to IT problems at the police

GMP announced in March 2022 that it would replace part of the £60 million iOPS system, but it remains unclear when that change will be completed.

An investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct found that the actions of two police officers involved in the case “fell below the expected standard” but no disciplinary action was recommended.

The case has raised concerns about increasing pressure on police teams responsible for monitoring registered sex offenders.

Figures show there were 70,052 registered sex offenders in England and Wales at the end of March 2024, an increase of 52% since 2014.

Former Derbyshire chief constable Mick Creedon said the number of offenders requiring supervision was “huge” and “would continue to grow”.

In 2023, Mr Creedon published an independent review into the way police monitored sex offenders in the community, calling for greater attention to be paid to the most dangerous criminals.

He said there was only a “small cohort” that posed a very high risk and “those are the ones we need to focus our efforts and resources on.”

“The number of offenders and bureaucracy can undermine resources to the extent that they cannot focus on high-risk activities,” he added.

The Home Office said violence against women and girls was a “national emergency” and that the government had made “several commitments to transform the criminal justice response to sexual violence”.