THE number of dangerous sex offenders being monitored in the West Mercia Police area has increased to nearly 800, a report into the management of offenders has shown.

The annual report to West Mercia’s Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) shows how police work with other agencies across the force area to manage offenders and protect the public.

At the end of March there were 792 sex offenders, up from 753 last year, 249 violent offenders which rose from 219 and 10 other dangerous offenders compared to three at the end of March 2010.

This is a total of 1,051 MAPPA eligible offenders in the region, up from 975 last year.

Between April 1 2010 and March 31 this year, 77 sexual offence prevention orders (SOPOs) were imposed in court – up from 41 the year before.

A SOPO, which runs from a minimum of five years, requires someone to register as a sex offender with conditions.

These include preventing an offender loitering near schools or playgrounds. If an offender fails to comply with conditions they can be taken back to court and sentenced to up to five years in prison.

The report says the increase in SOPOs is not due to a rise in offending but is “evidence of increasingly proactive efforts to restrict specific behaviour connected to sexual offending.”

Courts across Worcestershire, Herefordshire, Telford and Shropshire imposed three foreign travel orders (FTO) which means that certain offenders had restrictions put on their movements.

FTOs can prevent offenders with convictions for sexual offences against children from travelling abroad where this is necessary to protect children from the risk of sexual harm.

The report showed four registered sex offenders and eight violent offenders were returned to custody during the year for breach of licence.

Detective Superintendent Martin Lakeman, head of public protection for West Mercia Police, said: “Our top priority remains protecting the public. Over the past 12 months agencies have worked effectively together to manage those that pose the greatest risk.

“West Mercia Police was an early adopter of the child sex offender disclosure scheme [known as Sarah’s Law] which allows members of the public to check whether someone poses a risk to children. This has been well received by the public and continues to safeguard children. We the police and our partners remain committed to protecting the public.”