Gwent Police and

NPS Gwent Area

Annual Report in respect of Criminal Justice and Court Services Act 2000, Sections 67 & 68
Introduction

Local arrangements in Gwent began in response

to the Sex Offenders Act 1997 when Police and
Probation were required to make joint
arrangements for the assessment and
management of registered sex offenders. We
have built on these arrangements since and now
have multi-agency protocols agreed by Police,
Probation, Housing, Social Services and Health
for the assessment of sex offenders and other
potentially dangerous offenders. This annual
report will provide further details of the
arrangements made in Gwent and give contact
points for any additional enquiries, including
agencies other than Police and Probation.
1. Summary of Roles and Responsibilities
Recognising that effective public
protection can only be achieved
through collaborative
arrangements Gwent Police and
National Probation Service (NPS)
Gwent Area have established close
working relationships with other
agencies, services and authorities
whose responsibilities and
participation can make a positive
contribution to public protection in
our communities. Those involved
so far are the five Unitary
Authorities of Newport, Torfaen,
Caerphilly, Monmouthshire and
Blaenau Gwent, Gwent Health
Authority and Gwent Healthcare
NHS Trust, Tai Trothwy Housing
Association and NSPCC Pathways
Project.
The Unitary Authorities have a
wide range of statutory
responsibilities and their Housing
2. Outline of arrangements made
In addition to the day to day work
of Police and Probation outlined in
the central section of this report,
Gwent has developed its own
arrangements for the assessment
and management of sexual, violent
and other dangerous offenders.
Gwent Police and the National
Probation Service – Gwent Area
published in March 2002 "Working
in Partnership – Policy and
Procedures for the Management of
Potentially Dangerous Offenders
and Registered Sex offenders."
This was developed in consultation
with staff in Gwent Police and NPS
Gwent Area and colleagues from
Social Services and Health. The
document outlines the procedures
for the calling of MAPPP and
and Social Services Departments,
in particular, have duties to
vulnerable groups including
children in need and their families,
the elderly, disabled people and
those with mental health needs.
The work of the four Area Child
Protection Committees (Blaenau
Gwent and Monmouthshire work
together) is very relevant to the
work of the Multi-Agency Public
Protection Panels (MAPPP) and
regular representation by the
Unitary Authorities is via their
Social Services Departments.
Health is represented through
specific professionals who may be
involved in a particular case and
include Consultant Psychiatrists
and Psychologists, Community
Psychiatric Nurses attached to
Community Mental Health Teams
and representation from the local
Forensic Unit. The five unitary
MARAG meetings, the policy on
pre-disclosure, details of
requirements under the Sex
Offender Act and how to apply for
a Sex Offender Order. The policy
and procedures will be reviewed
every twelve months to ensure the
effectiveness of the measures in
place and to revise and improve
them where necessary.
The first stage in the process is the
calling of a Multi Agency Risk
Assessment Group (MARAG). This
is a divisional forum made up of
key agencies including Police,
Probation and Social Services
which meets when required to
discuss individual cases in order to
share information, assess risk and
authorities which make up the
Gwent Police and Probation areas
are represented by their Social
Services departments at regular
Multi-Agency Public Protection
Meetings. The nominated
representatives are the Child
Protection Panel Co-ordinators for
Caerphilly, Newport, Blaenau
Gwent and Torfaen and the
Assistant Director, Children’s
Services for Monmouthshire.
Representatives of Unitary
Authority Housing Departments
attend MAPPP Groups and Multi
Agency Risk Assessment (MARAG)
meetings as required and Housing
Advice Workers employed by NPS
Gwent Area through a partnership
with Tai Trothwy, a Welsh housing
association, are regular
contributors.
devise action plans in respect of
potentially dangerous and
registered Sex Offenders. The
meeting will be held within five
working days of the request. The
Group may also call for
representation from any other
agency able to contribute to the
risk assessment process. If an
offender discussed at a MARAG is
considered to pose a potentially
high risk of causing serious harm
to the public in general or to
specific individuals then a MAPPP
meeting will be called.
All High Risk or Very High Risk Sex
Offenders and any other offender
designated as Potentially
Dangerous [P.D.Os] will be
reviewed quarterly at MAPPP
Reviews. These reviews are
routinely attended by Police,
Probation, and Social Services and
action plans drawn up to reduce
risk to any potential victims
whether children or adults.
Very High Risk Sex Offenders will
be visited monthly by the police,
High Risk every three months,
Medium Risk six-monthly and
twelve-monthly. Low Risk will be
visited once following registration
with follow-ups only when
intelligence is received which
indicates a need for more scrutiny.
Those sex offenders subject to
statutory supervision by the NPS
Gwent area whether on a
Community Rehabilitation Order or
a Licence following release from
prison will be supervised according
to National Standards and in the
3. Strategic Management Arrangements
Within the National Probation
Service Gwent Area, strategic
responsibility for both the MAPP
and MARAGs will be through an
Assistant Chief Officer who will
ensure consultancy takes places at
the appropriate level with the
Police, the five Unitary Authorities,
the Dangerous Offenders Unit,
Welsh Assembly, Governor, with
specific reference to the Crime
Reduction Unit and other
appropriate voluntary and
independent agencies.
Over the next period the joined up
case of High Risk Offenders
contact especially early in an Order
or Licence will be in excess of
National Standards. Offenders will
be seen twice weekly or even daily
should risk be identified as Very
High or High and this frequency of
contact will be maintained
throughout the period of
supervision if necessary. Those
offenders on lengthy treatment
programmes are required to attend
weekly and home visits and other
appointments outside the
programme requirements will also
be made.
All sex offenders and other
offenders who are potentially
dangerous will be referred to a
MAPPP meeting prior to release
from a prison sentence. Meetings
are co-chaired by Gwent Police
and NPS Gwent Area at Detective
Chief Inspector or Detective
approach to public protection that
incorporates developments with
Crime and Disorder partnerships,
including the proposed Best Value
Review, national and regional
initiatives and for example the
added value of working closely
with neighbouring Police and
Probation Areas eg: South Wales,
will be undertaken. Also greater
involvement with the Prison
Service in both MAPPs and
MARAGs will be undertaken. To
this end discussions have already
taken place between Assistant
Inspector level and by the
Divisional Manager, Public
Protection Unit, for Probation.
Where the prisoner is being
released from a local prison and in
particular from HMP Usk where
sex offenders are housed and
where programmes are run then
prison staff will be invited to
attend.
NPS Gwent Area has worked for a
number of years with the NSPCC
to run the Pathways Sex Offender
Programme. This has evolved to
include Dyfed-Powys and South
Wales Areas on a collaborative
basis. We have just begun the roll
out of C-SOP the accredited
Community Sex Offender
Programme across Wales and
involving NSPCC Child Protection
Officers as Programme Tutors
together with Probation Officers.
Chief Officer and the Governor of
HMP Usk. A strategic approach to
MAPPs and MARAGs will be
undertaken to ensure the process
is dynamic and open to
improvement through the
incorporation of best practice and
the review of protocols, processes
and guidelines. Staff learning and
development needs will be
reviewed and positive inter-agency
collaboration will be encouraged
during the course of the coming
year.
4. Disclosure
One of the strategies that can be
adopted to reduce risk is to notify
individuals, groups or sections of
the community about the presence
of a sex offender in a particular
area. The purpose of a pre-
disclosure meeting is to decide
whether information about sex
offenders or potentially dangerous
offenders can be shared with a
specific person or persons.
Referrals for a pre-disclosure
meeting may be made by any
professional including, in particular,
the Probation Service, Police and
Social Services. Pre-disclosure
meetings are jointly chaired by the
Detective Chief Inspector, FSU and
the Divisional Manager, PPU.
Community notifications are only
made if there is a pressing need
and the decision whether of not to
disclose has to be justified on the
basis of the likelihood of the harm
5. Victim Work
Section 69 of the Criminal Justice
and Court Services Act 2000
places a statutory duty upon the
NPS Gwent Area to contact
victims and ask if they wish to be
consulted about the release
arrangements for violent and
sexual offenders sentenced to 12
months custody or more. NPS
Gwent Area works to National
Standards and will contact victims
within 40 working days of the
offender being sentenced to a term
of imprisonment. Where the victim
so wishes contact will be
maintained throughout the prison
sentence of the perpetrator. On
release, in conjunction with the
Police and Victim Support,
which non-disclosure might
otherwise cause.
Whilst it is the role of the
Pre-Disclosure meeting to make
recommendations about disclosure
the ultimate decision to disclose
rests with the Chief Constable,
Gwent Police.
The subject of the pre-disclosure
meeting will be invited to attend or
make his/her views known to the
meetings. Once the disclosure has
been authorised the local Detective
Constable, responsible for Sex
Offender Liaison will visit those
individuals who are going to be
given the information together with
a Probation Officer or Social
Worker as deemed appropriate
given the particular circumstances
of the case.
appropriate support will be offered.
The protection of victims and the
provision of alarms and mobile 999
phones will be written in to the
action plan at MAPPP meetings
where necessary and appropriate
in order to safeguard victims.
Conditions are written in to licence
requirements to prevent the
offender contacting the victim and
whenever possible steps will be
taken to prevent the offender being
released to an address close to the
victim.
Victim Support is the national
charity for people affected by
crime. It is an independent
organisation, offering a free and
Example
Disclosure to key neighbours in a
street in relation to a sex offender
who had moved to our area after
his statutory supervision to
Probation had expired enabled
positive work to take place.
Potential child victims were
protected, neighbours acted
sensibly and both provided support
for the offender and acted as extra
"eyes and ears" for the police.
Probation offered focused work
with the offender on a voluntary
basis, which is still ongoing over
twelve months later. The offender
feels supported and his risk is
continually monitored.
confidential service, whether or not
a crime has been reported.
Trained staff and volunteers at
local branches offer information
and support to victims, witnesses,
their families and friends.
Victim Support provides the
Witness Service, based in every
criminal court in England and
Wales, to offer assistance before,
during and after a trial. You can
also call the Victim Supportline
(0845 30 30 900) for information
and support and details of local
services and other relevant
organisations.
Victim Support Gwent can be Police Station, Blackwood Road, Div. Police HQ, Cardiff Road,
contacted at the following Blackwood NP2 2XA Newport NP9 2EH
addresses: Tel/Fax: 01495 229659 Tel/Fax: 01633 254091

Police Station, Rockleigh Avenue, Police Station, Church Street, Div. Police HQ, Glantorfaen Road,
Aberbargoed CF81 9BQ Bedwas, Caerphilly CF83 8EB Pontypool NP4 6YN
Tel: 01443 836002 Tel: 029 2085 7310 Tel/Fax: 01495 763798
Fax: 01443 834699 Fax: 029 2085 7337

6. Statistical Information Number of Offenders

i The number of Registered Sex Offenders (RSOs) in the community

on 31/03/02 (s68 (2) CJ & CS Act 2000) 234

ii The number of RSOs per 100,000 population 42

iii The number of Sex Offenders cautioned/convicted for breaches of

registration requirement 01/04/01 – 31/03/02 14

iv The number of Sex Offender Orders 01/04/01 – 31/03/02

(a) total applied for 2

(b) granted 2

(c) not granted 0

(d) applications still in progress 0

v The number of violent offenders and other sex offenders

01/04/01 – 31/03/02 (s68(3)(4)&(5) CJ&CS Act 2000) 309

vi The number of other offenders

01/04/01 - 31/03/02 (s67 (2)(b) CJ&CS Act 2000) 5
Cost of Local Arrangements

Probation Board Police Other Agencies Total

£’000 £’000 £’000 £’000

Staff costs £160* £56 284*

Other costs

Total Expenditure

Income

Net Expenditure

* Preparation of Annual Report

* Appointment of two extra police officers

On 1st April 1999 NPS Gwent Area set up a Public Protection Unit to work closely with Gwent Police to manage
the Sex Offender Register and to supervise all Sex Offenders and Dangerous Offenders and with Gwent Police
nominating a specific Sex Offender Liaison Officer for each Police Division.

The additional expenditure is for the time spent in preparation of the Annual Report and for two extra police
officers recruited for the financial year 2001 – 2002 to manage the increasing workload monitoring the risk of Sex
Offenders and Potentially Dangerous Offenders.
Contact
Gwent Probation Area Address Tel:

Assistant Chief Officer Probation Head Office 01495 762462

Jim.A’Herne@gwent.probation.gsx.gov.uk Cwmbran House
Mamhilad Park Estate
Pontypool
NP4 0XD

Divisional Manager
Mike.Bradley@gwent.probation.gsx.gov.uk Public Protection Unit 01495 755221
East Gwent Probation Office
Torfaen House
Station Road
Sebastapol
Pontypool
NP4 5ES

Gwent Area Police Address Tel:

Detective Chief Inspector Family Support Unit 01633 838111

Heolddu Gwent Police
Gwent Police Headquarters
Croesyceiliog
Cwmbran
NP44 2XJ