There were almost 700 sex offenders living in North Wales in the past year.
Wrexham has the most – with 152 people on the Sex Offenders Register – and Conwy has the second highest total with 136.
The NSPCC said the figures, obtained by the Daily Post in an answer to a Freedom of Information Act request, show that monitoring sex offenders is vital.
In the last year, there were 691 sex offenders on the register across North Wales, slightly down on 721 people in 2013 and 722 last year.
Of the 691, there were 153 in Wrexham, 136 in Conwy, 121 in Gwynedd, 115 in Denbighshire, 105 in Flintshire and 61 on Anglesey.
The FOI answer also revealed that their crimes included:
- Making indecent photographs or pseudo-photographs of children
- Raping a female under 16
- Serious assault on a female
- Sexually assaulting and intentionally touching a female
- Exposure
But the FOI answer also revealed the vast majority of sex offenders stick to court rulings.
'Strict conditions'
Such criminals living in North Wales in the last three years only failed to comply with conditions relating to their registration on the Sex Offenders Register nine times in 2015.
This is an improvement on the 14 occasions in 2014, and 24 in 2013.
Three reasons for the failure to comply with the conditions relating to their registration are a failure to register change of address, name or complete annual registration.
The Ministry of Justice spokesman said: “Once they have served their prison sentence, sex offenders are subject to a strict set of conditions.
“These can include exclusion zones, non-contact orders and sex offender treatment programmes, as well as being put on the sex offenders’ register. If they fail to comply, they can be recalled to prison.
“The most serious sex offenders are now also subject to mandatory polygraph testing.
"MAPPA (Multi Agency Public Protection Arrangements) manage some of the highest risk offenders once they have served their prison sentence. A recent report by the independent Probation and Police Inspectorates found improvements had been made to MAPPA over the last four years.”
Gwynedd County Cllr Craig ab Iago, of Llanllyfni, said: “I’m not surprised. Everybody is talking about how we are a dumping ground for sex offenders. It’s sparsely populated and it’s easy to keep your head down and get on with your life.”
'They have an illness...'
But he believes such ex-criminals should be kept in an institution away from the public.
“They have an illness but their illness means other people get hurt. It’s not Dyffryn Nantlle’s job to look after them.
"They need to be looked after in an institution where they can have TV but not access to the internet.”
In September, Cllr ab Iago said he was “very glad” notorious paedophile Stephen John Burnell had left Nantlle.
An NSPCC spokesman said: “The overall number on the sex offender register has increased in recent years, but will vary from area to area.
“Offenders are being placed on the register for longer and this has a cumulative effect on the total figure, as well as conviction levels.
“The risk these individuals pose to children can change over time and this must be regularly assessed.”
- North Wales Police has a dedicated team called Amethyst to investigate rape and other serious sexual offences. For help with these issues call the police on 101 or in case of an emergency 999. The Amethyst self-referral system (which does not involve police contact) can be accessed via 0808 156 3658.
- see-http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/number-sex-offenders-living-north-10680315
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