According to the latest government figures, the number of sex offenders managed by Greater Manchester Police (GMP) has doubled over the past 13 years.

As of March 2024, there are 4,407 registered sex offenders in Greater Manchester, a record high compared to 4,114 the previous year. This equates to 173 registered sex offenders per 100,000 people, the highest rate among all metropolitan police forces in the UK.

In March 2011, there were only 1,972 registered sex offenders in the area. This significant increase has led GMP to enhance its Sex Offender Management Unit by adding 17 new staff members who are responsible for monitoring offenders post-release.

GMP faced criticism last year from His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS) due to the discovery of 163 overdue visits to registered sex offenders. In response, the police force has made improvements to its Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) to better supervise released offenders.

This trend of increasing registered sex offenders is reflected across England and Wales, with new figures from the Ministry of Justice indicating there were 70,052 registered sex offenders nationwide at the end of March 2024, or one for every 763 people. This marks a 2.5% increase from 68,357 in March 2023, the highest figure recorded to date.

Registered sex offenders are legally required to inform the police of any changes in their circumstances to facilitate monitoring and check compliance with release conditions, including internet access limitations.

County Durham has the highest concentration of sex offenders in England and Wales, boasting 1,123 offenders, or 196 per 100,000 people. Following County Durham are Gwent (188), Teeside (178), Lancashire (178), and North Wales (175). Greater Manchester ranks sixth in this regard.

Detective Chief Inspector Jen Tattersall from GMP's Sex Offender Management Unit commented, “We understand one of the top concerns for our communities is what is being done about registered sex offenders after they are released from prison.”

She elaborated, “That’s why we have expanded our management of sex offenders in recent years and introduced our Sex Offender Crime Investigation Team (SOCIT) in 2023 as part of this. The success rate for the SOCIT is currently at 91.8% solved outcomes. In the last year, our dedicated officers and staff have made 405 arrests, up from 278 the year before, and solved over 939 crimes.”

“We have significantly improved our management of sex offenders and evolved our methods to stay ahead of those offenders who look for new ways and opportunities to offend, particularly as technology advances. Our aim is to reassure the public that they can count on us to take the management of sex offenders very seriously, and we are committed to getting justice for victims.”