The number of registered sex offenders in Lanarkshire has increased by more than 150 per cent in just a decade.

Figures from the latest Multi Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) report revealed that 726 sex offenders were being managed across the county between April 2017 and March last year.

For the same period in 2007-08, there were just 275 sex offenders under observation, with successive annual increases since.

MAPPA manages risks posed by offenders, with input from North and South Lanarkshire councils, Police Scotland, NHS Lanarkshire and the Scottish Prison Service.

Last March, a snapshot showed there were 463 sex offenders living in Lanarkshire – an increase of 13 on the previous year.

Three were aged under 18, 13 were aged 18-21, 34 were aged 22-25 and 41 were aged 26-30.

There were 97 aged 31-40, the same number between 41 and 50, 99 aged 51-60, while 51 were aged 61-70 and 28 were aged 71 or over.

Of the 463, four were women and the rest were men.

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A spokesperson for North Lanarkshire Council said: “Sex offenders are monitored in the community under MAPPA which involves the police service, local authorities, the NHS, Scottish Prison Service and other partners.

“The management of sex offenders in the community is a particularly sensitive and complex area of work.

“Public safety is always the main priority in all cases. While it remains the main priority, a balance is required between public safety and the right of the individual.

“All aspects of cases are carefully considered at every stage of the process, from psychological and risk assessments to places of residence and potential security issues.

“A number of measures can be put in place to manage offenders in the community and these are monitored by police
and partner organisations.”