Missing pervert - Gardaí must monitor sex offenders

DUTY of care to society is an integral part of the role of gardaí and in this context there is a heavy onus on them to know the whereabouts of people listed on the sex offenders’ register.

Thus, it is extremely worrying that an offender who downloaded thousands of child pornographic images from the internet cannot be located by the gardaí and has not been registered.

Readers will no doubt recall disturbing pictures of Colin Ashman, an unemployed Englishman with an address at Rockchapel, Co Cork, who downloaded 2,343 internet images of children, some as young as 10, engaged in sexual acts.

In a gesture of defiance as he walked free from court, after receiving a two-year suspended sentence, he stuck out his tongue and waved his backside at photographers.

Under the Sexual Offenders Act, 2001, Ashman was required to notify gardaí of his address or any change of address.

Monitoring the movements of known offenders like Ashman is crucial if gardaí are to safeguard the public. But apparently he has not reported to any garda station.

This development underscores the importance of knowing if an offender changes address. Otherwise, communities could be vulnerable.