Registered Sex Offenders classed as ‘missing’

Response

Avon and Somerset Police holds information on the subject you have requested. However, we will not be able to answer your request without exceeding the appropriate limit. This is because the information is not centrally recorded and would involve an extensive search of our files to find and collate.

To explain the reasons for this decision, it may be helpful first to clarify the way we record information on this subject.

First, we do not have a category of ‘missing’ in relation to Registered Sex Offenders (RSOs). Additionally, those who are of No Fixed Address (NFA) and may be homeless, are still required to provide a location where they can be found.

We hold information under the following categories, which may be of some relevance, but which as explained do not equate to ‘missing’, homeless or of no fixed abode:

• Abroad Inactive:

RSOs can move abroad and they are then noted as ‘abroad inactive’ as we do not actively manage them if they are not in the UK. In some cases we will know where they are living, but not all.

• Deported:

RSOs may be deported; we will then know they are not in the UK but we will not keep track of them once deported.

• Wanted:

RSOs may be wanted for breach of registration requirements. We may know where some wanted RSOs are living, but this would likely be the minority of cases.

As we do not have categories for the information you are seeking, we are not able to identify the answer to your questions without undertaking a manual review of all records. Avon and Somerset Police have 2000 nominals records individually plus any archived nominals for the last three years. We estimate it would take far more than 18 hours to complete.

Section 12 of the Act makes provision for public authorities to refuse requests for information where the cost of dealing with them would exceed the appropriate limit, which for police authorities is set at £450 or 18 staff hours. This represents the estimated cost of one person spending 2.5 working days in determining whether the department holds the information, and locating, retrieving and extracting it.

This letter represents a Refusal Notice under the Act.

If you would like to refine your request in order to bring it down to a more manageable level, we may be able to supply you with some of the information you require. We would be able to provide the following information, for any given month

• the number of RSOs recorded as Wanted,
• the number of RSOs recorded as Abroad Inactive