Tagging of sex offenders could force paedophiles to flee to Ireland

PLANS to tighten up procedures for monitoring convicted sex offenders in Britain could result in an influx of paedophiles to Ireland, the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children has warned.

ISPCC chief executive Paul Gilligan expressed concern yesterday that such measures could see former prisoners convicted of serious sex offences leaving Britain to escape further controls on their freedom.

"There is anecdotal evidence that sex offenders will move to where there are weaknesses in the child protection system. There is a real risk that some of them will move to Ireland. That happened already when electronic tagging was first introduced in Britain," said Mr Gilligan.