Sex offenders must be tracked, insists ISPCC

THE country’s leading child protection group has called for improvements to how sex offenders are tracked after a British fugitive was discovered to be living in Kildare.

Convicted paedophile John Richard Murrell, 39, was arrested in Athy on Friday and is challenging attempts to extradite him back to Britain.

His case is due before the High Court on October 17.

Prior to his rearrest, Murrell had been on the run for seven years after failing to register with police when he was released from prison early.

Yesterday, the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (ISPCC) said he should not have been allowed to travel freely without his presence in Ireland ringing alarm bells.

“If Ireland is truly committed to the protection of children, further developments are needed, as a matter of urgency, to create a strong child protection system,” a statement said.

The ISPCC is also looking for a European-wide register of offenders to be maintained and shared between police forces.

Murrell was living in Athy with his wife and three children until his arrest last week.

In 1999, he was convicted of indecently assaulting a nine-year-old girl in Worcester, England.

Murrell spent one year in jail but failed to inform police of his movements after his release.

He only came to the attention of the authorities after a member of the public recognised him from a British crime prevention website.

The ISPCC has called for legislation to be introduced to require all employers to vet staff working with children, to ensure people that pose a potential risk do not remain undetected.

“Legislation would have the dual effect of making it a legal offence for an organisation not to obtain Garda vetting on any person working with children,” the organisation said.