Greater Manchester

Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements

Annual Report 2002-3
Foreword

By Paul Goggins, Parliamentary Under-Secretary for

Community and Custodial provision in the Home Office

As the recently appointed Minister with responsibility for

the MAPPA, I am pleased to introduce this, the second,
annual MAPPA report. It is clear that in the last year
(2002/3) the multi-agency public protection arrangements
(the MAPPA) continued to play an important role in what
remains one of this government’s highest priorities – the
protection of the public from dangerous offenders.

As someone with many years’ experience of working in

the field of child protection, I am particularly impressed by
the important contribution the MAPPA are making to
strengthen collaboration between agencies at a local level
where the focus is on the dangerous offender. These
improvements must, however, impact on the protection of
children. As the tragic death of Victoria Climbie showed,
an effective multi-agency partnership is crucial and the
MAPPA are an important element.

To ensure greater consistency in the MAPPA across the

42 Areas of England and Wales, and to prepare for the
implementation of measures contained in the Criminal
Justice Bill, we published the MAPPA Guidance in April.
Building on good practice, that Guidance clarified the
structure of the operational arrangements as well as the
importance of formal review and monitoring – of which this
annual report is a vital part. The Criminal Justice Bill will
strengthen the MAPPA in two ways. First, it will make the
involvement of other agencies part of the statutory
framework. Second, it will introduce the involvement of lay
people – those unconnected with day-to-day operation of
the MAPPA – in reviewing and monitoring the MAPPA.
Annual reports and this new lay involvement show the
Government’s commitment to explaining how the often
sensitive and complex work of public protection is
undertaken.
The Government is also strengthening the protection of
the public with other measures in the Criminal Justice Bill.
They include new sentences for dangerous offenders to
prevent their release if they continue to be dangerous.
Additionally, the Sexual Offences Bill will tighten up sex
offender registration, introduce a new offence of
‘grooming’, and enable sex offender orders to be imposed
on violent offenders who pose a risk of causing serious
sexual harm – thereby extending sex offender registration
to them.

I commend this report to you and congratulate all the

agencies and individuals who have contributed to the
achievement of the MAPPA locally in your local Area.
The National Picture

This section of the report draws attention to the wider

context of the operation and development of the Multi-
Agency Public Protection Arrangements (the MAPPA).

The most important work undertaken within the MAPPA is

done locally, led by the police and probation – who act
jointly as the ‘Responsible Authority’ in your Area – and in
each of the 42 Areas of England and Wales. The experience
and good practice upon which this work is based began in
the 1990s – most significantly as a result of the closer
working relationship required by the Sex Offender Act
(1997). The Criminal Justice and Courts Services Act (2000)
formalised that relationship and built on the existing
experience by requiring the police and probation services to
establish arrangements (the MAPPA) for assessing and
managing the risks posed by sexual and violent offenders.
The Act also required the Responsible Authority to publish
an annual report on the operation of those arrangements.
This report, covering April 2002 to March 2003, is the
second annual report.

The importance of partnership

Key to the development of the MAPPA in the past year has

been the closer involvement of other agencies, such as
housing, health and social services, working alongside
police and probation. The truly multi-agency nature of the
MAPPA and the collaboration which underpins it is to be
strengthened further by the Criminal Justice Bill. The Bill will
place a ‘duty to co-operate’ on a wide range of organisations
including local health authorities and trusts; housing
authorities and registered social landlords; social services
departments; Jobcentres; Youth Offending Teams; and local
education authorities. In addition, the Prison Service will join
the police and probation services and become part of the
MAPPA ‘Responsible Authority’.
Supporting and co-ordinating the development of the
MAPPA throughout the 42 Areas of England and Wales, is
the National Probation Directorate’s Public Protection Unit
(PPU). This Unit acts as a central point for advice and,
increasingly, involvement in the management of difficult
cases. These include, for example, UK citizens who have
committed serious offences abroad and return to this
country without anywhere to live. The Unit is also able to
provide financial support when the risk management plans
make exceptional demands upon local resources.

Involving the public

MAPPA developments in the next 18 months will also

include the appointment by the Home Secretary of two ‘lay
advisers’ to each Area. The eight Areas of England and
Wales which have been piloting these arrangements since
January (Cumbria, Greater Manchester, Durham, South
Wales, Dorset, Hampshire, Surrey and West Midlands)
report that they add real value. Lay advisers will contribute
to the review and monitoring of the MAPPA which is
undertaken by each Area’s Strategic Management Board –
the work of which you can read more in this report.

The purpose of appointing ‘lay advisers’ is to ensure that

communities understand more of what is done to protect
them and that those involved professionally with the MAPPA
are aware of the views of the community. The lay advisers
will not ‘represent’ the community in the way, for example,
that local councillors do, nor will they be involved in
operational decision-making. And, given the sensitivity of
much of what the MAPPA does, especially with the few
offenders who pose a very high risk of serious harm to the
public, it is not practicable for the general public to be
involved. Lay advisers will, however, ensure an appropriate
and a practical level of community involvement.
MAPPA Offenders

This year the annual report provides a more detailed

breakdown of the number of sexual and violent offenders
who are covered by the MAPPA in your Area. As last year,
the figures include the number of registered sex offenders.
Because sex offender registration is for a minimum of 5
years (and generally for much longer) the figures are
cumulative. This is why they have increased – by 16 per
cent in England and Wales. Only a very small proportion
(about six per cent throughout England and Wales) are
considered to pose such a high risk or management
difficulty that they are referred to the highest level of the
MAPPA – the Multi-Agency Public Protection Panels (the
MAPPPs).

Figures alone do not, of course, tell the whole story. The

anonymised case studies illustrate the practical work of the
MAPPA, and demonstrate the preventive action which can
be taken. Prior to the MAPPA, action of this kind was mainly
taken by one agency alone, with the effect that on occasion
offenders’ behaviour which might have triggered
preventative action went unnoticed. The multi-agency
approach of the MAPPA helps ensure that if an offender
does breach the condition of the licence under which they
were released from prison or a court order prohibiting
certain activities, then action to enforce the condition or
order and protect the public can be taken more swiftly.

If you are interested in reading the reports of other Areas,

they will be published on the National Probation Service’s
website www.probation.homeoffice.gov.uk (under the public
protection section) with all of them being available once the
last Area has published its annual report in September.
1. Introduction

Local arrangements in Greater Manchester began with

a pilot project in Rochdale in 1995. The working
partnership between police and probation was so
successful that Multi-Agency Risk Panels (which were
later re-named Multi-Agency Public Protection Panels)
were set up throughout Greater Manchester two years
later.

The official launch was carried out by the then Home

Secretary, the Rt. Hon. Jack Straw MP, and the
initiative had support at the highest possible
Government level. The Criminal Justice and Court
Services Act 2000 (CJ&CS Act 2000) brought a new
duty on police and probation to make joint
arrangements for the assessment and management of
the risks posed by sexual, violent and other offenders
who may cause serious harm to the public.

The arrangements which were put in place locally in

1997 have been developed and strengthened in recent
years. Protocols between all the agencies concerned
were agreed and signed, with police and probation
taking a lead. Multi-Agency Public Protection Panels
have succeeded in achieving the participation of a wide
range of agencies across the county; these include
housing, social services, health, Victim Support,
prisons, Clerks to the Justices, YOTs and education.

This document will provide further details of the

arrangements made in Greater Manchester and
highlight achievements during 2002-3.

It will also give contact points for any additional

enquiries, including agencies other than police and
probation.
2. Key achievements during 2002-3

• Two lay members were appointed to the MAPPA

Strategic Management Group and are helping to
oversee public protection arrangements.

• A media protocol was established by Greater

Manchester Police and Greater Manchester
Probation Service with around 40 local editors and
broadcasters to improve working relationships

• Two probation officers now work alongside police

in the Public Protection Unit to improve the
exchange of information

• In Manchester, Compliance Tenancies – which

involve housing officials undertaking regular visits
- have become a feature of supervision for some
offenders

• The Strategic Management Group membership

has extended to include a prison officer and health
representation

• Greater Manchester’s Victim Support and Witness

Service is to have an enhanced role in supporting
vulnerable and intimidated witnesses prior to trial

• The number of registered sex offenders has risen

– as predicted – but excellent work on the part of
all the agencies has ensured that offenders are
well managed and action taken should they
breach or look likely to re-offend

• The number of breaches of Sex Offender

Registration requirements has risen this year, due
to consistent monitoring and proactive work on the
part of the police
3. Who we are and what we do
Police and probation services have
overall responsibility for ensuring
that management arrangements are
in place for all serious violent and
sexual offenders in the community,
as defined in the Criminal Justice
and Court Services Act 2000.
Where cases are assessed as being
of low or medium risk management
is primarily undertaken by police and
probation services. High risk cases
are managed through Multi-Agency
Public Protection Panels (MAPPPs).
These arrangements are outlined in
further detail in Section 3.
Greater Manchester comprises 10
local authority areas. Each of
these 10 areas – Bolton, Bury, the
City of Manchester, Oldham,
Rochdale, Salford, Stockport,
Tameside, Trafford and Wigan –
have arrangements in place for
MAPPPs in their locality.
MAPPPs are chaired by either the
District Manager for the Probation
Service or a local senior police
officer. A countywide protocol,
agreed by all the agencies involved,
sets out how MAPPPs are convened
and administered. This serves as a
template for all MAPPPs, who may
amend the protocol to suit local
needs.
A MAPPP can be requested by any
agency.
All MAPPPs can call upon the
attendance of other agencies within
the community, such as local
authority housing officials and social
services representatives as required.
These agencies fulfil particular roles
in helping to manage dangerous
offenders. These are described
below.
Housing
Stable accommodation is extremely
important in ensuring that dangerous
offenders are rigorously managed. It
can help in the organisation of
surveillance and encourages
responsible behaviour on the part of In Greater Manchester, housing
offenders under supervision. providers who have attended
Housing professionals contribute MAPPPs include local authorities,
significant expertise in placing Housing Associations and staff from
offenders in suitable accomm- both statutory and voluntary hostels.
odation, both in terms of the
offender’s requirements and public Greater Manchester has seven
protection. approved premises (hostels). These
have strict rules and conditions of
residence, including a strictly
Case Study enforced overnight curfew. Together
with 24-hour staffing cover, this
Mr A came to the attention of the
allows the rigorous supervision of
police because of his contact with
offenders who live there.
a girl under the age of 16. The girl,
who was receiving assistance from
Approved premises can be an
Social Services, went missing from
important first step back into the
home. She was later found in the
community for offenders newly
company of Mr A.
released from prison. They are
Mr A was an associate of a
extremely important for public
registered sex offender but was
protection, providing additional
not subject to registration himself.
supervision for offenders who would
He did have previous convictions,
otherwise have to look for
however, with offences of
accommodation elsewhere in the
indecency against young girls
community. In a hostel, offenders
going back to the 1980s.
can be more closely monitored and
Mr A was interviewed by police but
managed.
maintained contact with the girl.
He was made the subject of
One hostel has specialist provision
MAPPP proceedings and because
for offenders with mental health
of his continued contact with the
problems. All offer programmes
girl, police applied for a Sex
and extra work which can help
Offender Order.
reduce offending.
This was granted by the court and
restricted contact with any child
Hostel staff regularly attend
under the age of 16, forbidding him
MAPPPs to provide vital information
from having children in his car or
on offenders who are current
his home. The order also specified
residents.
that he was to have no further
contact with the girl.
Social Services
Police found him collecting the girl
Social Services departments have
from her home just 2 weeks after
primary responsibility for child
the Sex Offender Order was made.
protection matters and staff often
Mr A was arrested and later
have significant valuable information
sentenced to 2 years’ in prison for
regarding the family networks that
breach of the Sex Offender Order.
dangerous offenders have. Their
perspective on the management of
dangerous violent and sexual
In Manchester, Compliance offenders can be crucial.
Tenancies have become a feature of
the supervision of some offenders. There is often an overlap between
In such cases, the offender must the work of MAPPPs and Area Child
agree to additional conditions before Protection Committees, where police
being granted a tenancy. These and probation are represented in
may include accepting regular appropriate cases.
supervisory visits.
Education
Schools and occasionally Further
Education colleges can be a
valuable aid to the management of
younger dangerous offenders. Such
offenders are few, but they have the
potential to cause considerable
disruption in local communities.
Education providers can help to
provide additional monitoring of
offenders attending school or college
courses.
There are a critical few dangerous
offenders who target children. In
such cases, action plans to manage
those offenders may require the
involvement of education officials, in
order to protect children and
reassure parents.
Youth Offending Teams
Although dangerous offenders are
usually adults, there are a few cases
each year where young offenders
are assessed as being a danger to
the public. These cases may well
be under the supervision of Youth
Offending Teams (YOTs). YOTs
can develop intensive supervision
arrangements for such offenders; it
is vital therefore that in appropriate
cases YOTs are represented at
MAPPPs.
Youth Offending Teams themselves
consist of multi-disciplinary teams
(including police, probation,
education and social workers) and
are therefore well placed to co-
ordinate arrangements to closely
manage these dangerous young
offenders.
Health
Health issues maybe a significant
factor in managing dangerous
offenders. Some offenders have
mental health problems which are
identified as needing proper
assessment and treatment where
appropriate.
For example, dangerous behaviour
can be exacerbated if offenders are
not receiving appropriate medication.
Appropriate representation at a
MAPPP can include a local GP
and/or specialist psychiatric staff.
Some health professionals have
attended MAPPPs, but it has proved
difficult to secure the consistent
attendance of health service
representatives. This is a matter
that was pursued by the county’s
Strategic Management Group last
year but practice is inconsistent.
The organisational structure of the
health service across the county
makes it difficult to find appropriate
representation. Further efforts to
resolve this issue will be pursued by
the SMB in the forthcoming year.
Victim Support
Greater Manchester Victim Support
and Witness Service is totally
supportive of the MAPPP process.
Staff from the service have
participated in MAPPP meetings in
most districts across the county.
Where Victim Support’s involvement
is requested at a MAPPP, a staff
member will attend the MAPPP
meeting and will then liase with the
appropriate victim worker in the
case.
Other agencies
On occasions, MAPPPs are
attended by other community
agencies and individuals, where they
have a particular perspective to add
to any discussion. In Greater
Manchester, those attending have
included:-
• Prison officers
• Housing Compliance Officers
• Staff from the Police’s Domestic
Violence Unit
• Probation Service victim liaison
officers
• An offender’s family members.
Case Study
Mr B is a registered sex offender
who was being visited regularly by
the police. On a routine visit, he
was found to have a pink sock on
his radiator and bikes in his back
garden.
After a police investigation, he was
found collecting a child from a bus
and had children staying with him.
Mr B had befriended a family and
helped to look after the children.
He confessed to assaulting the two
children in his home and was
sentenced to 6½ years in prison.
His confession meant that the
children were spared from giving
evidence in court.
His case was unusual in that the
court granted a Restraining Order
at the time of sentence. This has
the same effect as a Sex Offender
Order, enabling police to monitor
him upon release. He will also be
subject to a period of extended
supervision, giving police and
probation greater powers to
manage him in the community.
In Greater Manchester, all MAPPP
arrangements are overseen by a
Strategic Management Board.
Representatives of all the agencies
described in this section serve on
the Board, together with lay
members appointed for the first time
in 2002. (For more details, see
under “Promoting best practice”).
4. How do MAPPPs work?
3.1. In addition to the day-to-day
work of the police and probation
service outlined in this report,
Greater Manchester has developed
multi-agency assessment
procedures for the assessment and
management of sexual, violent and
dangerous offenders. The
assessment and management of
these offenders is at three levels:-
(a) Information exchange (for the
lower/medium risk cases) see
par. 3.6
(b) Joint police and probation
agreed risk assessment (for
potentially dangerous
offenders); this could be
described as the high risk group
see par. 3.7
(c) Multi-Agency Public Protection
Panel meetings, for the critical
few most dangerous offenders
see par. 3.9
These processes are explained
more fully below.
3.2. Initial risk assessments on
serious violent and sexual offenders
are normally undertaken at the point
of sentence, via a Pre-Sentence
Report. These reports are
prepared by the probation service, in
the case of adult offenders; for
offenders under the age of 18,
reports and risk assessments – and
subsequent supervision - are the
responsibility of Youth Offending
Teams.
3.3. Reports assist the court in
determining a suitable sentence and
will also be used by the probation
service if the offender is
subsequently made the subject of a
community sentence such as a
Community Punishment Order or
Community Rehabilitation Order.
Probation staff have many years of
experience in working with
offenders, many of whom are now
required to attend special
programmes to help stop them
committing further crimes.
Case Study
A serious sexual and violent
offender - no longer under statutory
supervision - was being monitored
by the police on a Sex Offender
Order.
Reports came through that the man
was luring children into his home
by providing alcohol and allowing
them to smoke cannabis. It became
clear that his accomodation was
very unsuitable as there were a lot
of children in the vicinity and
particular young people appeared
to be at serious risk.
At an initial MAPPP meeting, the
option of disclosing to their parents
was seriously considered. This
information was shared with the
offender and he was given the
option to move.
Within a week, and due to some
excellent collaboration between
housing, police and probation staff,
the man was moved to much more
appropriate accomodation. This
removed him from the locality of
the children deemed to be at risk.
His new home is in a large block of
flats for largely single adults and
which has a concierge system. The
police made sure links were in
place with housing staff.
After six months, the offender was
deregistered as a MAPPP case;
the man no longer represented the
very high level of risk which
MAPPP registration denotes. He
is, however, still being monitored
by police through his Sex Offender
registration requirements.
3.4. Those offenders serving
community penalties continue to live
and work in our community. They
may live in their own homes or in
private rented accommodation.
Some live in accommodation
provided by a registered social
landlord (such as a housing
association or local authority).
Research evidence shows that
having stable accommodation and
employment is very important in
reducing the risk of reoffending.
Stable accommodation, at an
address which is known to the
agencies involved, is also very
important in managing offenders in
the community.
3.5. If an offender is sent to prison,
a further assessment will be carried
out if the offender is to be released
subject to a period of supervision by
the probation service. Depending on
the length of the supervision period
after release, the offender will be
reassessed regarding the level of
dangerousness whilst in the
community and appropriate public
protection plans will be put in place.
3.6. The Criminal Justice and Court
Services Act 2000 defines those
cases requiring joint assessment
between police and probation
services. In many cases, the
probation assessment will conclude
that the risks to the public are low or
medium. In these cases, the
probation assessment will be
communicated to the police. If
police information systems reinforce
the probation assessment, this will
become the agreed joint
assessment.
3.7. In some cases, the probation
assessment will suggest the offender
is potentially a high risk to the public,
or on receipt of the probation
assessment the police may find they
have information that suggests the
assessment should be higher. In
these situations, police and
probation representatives will meet
to share information and reach a
joint assessment of risk. They will
also draw up an Action Plan to
manage the risk identified.
3.8. With regard to the critical few
most dangerous offenders, a Multi-
Agency Public Protection Panel will
be convened. The chair of the
meeting (a probation District
Manager or a local senior police
officer) adheres to agreed protocols
regarding the format of the meeting,
format of minutes and rules
regarding confidentiality. All relevant
agencies are represented at these
meetings – including those with
particular knowledge relevant to the
case. A full information exchange
takes place and an Action Plan
agreed.
In the case of those offenders who
are awaiting release, prison staff will
sometimes travel to attend the
MAPPP in order to provide additional
information to the Panel.
Representatives from the agency
which will provide accommodation
for the offender will also attend,
alongside local police and probation
staff who will have case
management responsibility.
The Panel will work towards an
agreement on the level of risk and
will formulate an Action Plan to
manage that risk. All agencies
represented will be closely held to
account for any tasks to be carried
out under the Action Plan.
Regular review meetings are held,
usually bi-monthly although any
agency involved can request an
emergency MAPPP if they feel
circumstances have changed;
attendance is given top priority.
Agencies involved in the case will
keep in close contact between
meetings to ensure the Action Plan
is being implemented appropriately.
There are currently 155 MAPPP
cases across the whole of Greater
Manchester.
In some cases, offenders considered
by a MAPPP are not the subject of
any statutory supervision in the
community. These tend to be
offenders who were convicted of
serious offences in the past but who
have not re-offended; their recent
behaviour may be of sufficient
concern, however, to warrant referral
to a MAPPP.
There are also offenders who are
required to register under the Sex
Offenders Act 1997 who require joint
assessments under the new
arrangements; many were previously
monitored only by the police.
3.9. In direct response to the
statutory requirements outlined in
the Criminal Justice & Court
Services Act 2000, and following
consultation with the Probation
Service, Greater Manchester Police
elected to make a significant
commitment towards future work in
this area by the formation of a
dedicated, centralised ‘Public
Protection Unit’.
The unit, now known as the ViSOR
[Violent and Sex Offender
Registration] Unit, provides a central
resource and support framework,
with specific expertise in this field. It
works closely with local police and
probation officers across Greater
Manchester and covers all issues
involving the management of sexual,
violent and dangerous offenders.
The ViSOR Unit began work on the
1 May 2001, staffed by over 20
police personnel and a dedicated
Probation Service co-ordinator; all
have received in-depth multi-agency
training in offender risk assessment,
management and monitoring. It
provides a central point of contact for
liaison with all other agencies
involved in this work across the area
and with the GMP Force Intelligence
Bureau.
Following the initial success of the
unit, it has been confirmed that
increased staffing for the ViSOR Unit
will be provided by the Probation
Service for the forthcoming year,
capitalising on the success of the
joint working arrangements already
in place.
There are now two probation officers
working alongside police colleagues
in the ViSOR Unit ensuring
information exchanges between the
agencies is of a consistently high
standard.
3.10. The ViSOR Unit is responsible
for maintaining the Sex Offender
Register for Greater Manchester,
and for ensuring the compliance of
those on the register.
The number of registered sex
offenders is expected to rise every
year for the next few years.
This is because the legislation which
brought about the Sex Offender
Register in 1997 did not apply to
offenders convicted before that time,
unless they were still under
supervision or in custody. This
means that the numbers will
continue to “catch up” for several
years until a peak is reached.
5. Disclosure
The power to decide whether to
disclose information about an
offender rests with the Police.
Each MAPPP has Disclosure as a
specific agenda item. This means
that disclosure is considered at
every meeting, and a decision made
on each case on its merits.
There are many examples of
disclosure in the day-to-day work of
MAPPPs. Where an offender has a
history of sex offences, for example,
agencies would ensure that there is
disclosure to a new partner if there
are concerns about the partner or
any children of the family becoming
a potential victim.
Similarly, if a man with a history of
extreme violence against previous
partners is found to have begun a
new relationship, Police may
disclose details of the man’s
offences to his new partner.
In the very rare cases of predatory
sex offenders, there may be
disclosure to schools in a particular
neighbourhood. A letter to be used
in such circumstances has been
drawn up. It is intended for use by
Head Teachers to alert parents and
carers to the potential danger to
children; it also provides useful
educational information and local
contacts. Such a letter has only
been needed once in Greater
Manchester.
Disclosure rarely means provision of
information to the media; it usually
takes place on a one-to-one basis,
and is handled sensitively by the
professionals involved.
Disclosure to the media may happen
where they may be able to assist
public protection by wide coverage
of an individual case.
Case Study
An offender living in a hostel
following his release from prison
moved to local authority
accommodation on a compliance
tenancy; this involves being visited
regularly by housing compliance
officers. He is the subject of
MAPPP proceedings and has been
under police supervision.
One concern, however, has been
his frequent visits to Manchester
city centre. The MAPPP was
concerned about the fact that he
was visiting stores of particular
interest to children - the Disney
Store, Gadget Shop, HMV etc.
A new campaign was planned to
raise awareness amongst retail
staff about the risk that sex
offenders might present,
particularly in those stores which
children tend to frequent.
A leaflet has been produced,
explaining that retail staff can help
fight crime by being alert to
shoplifters and other offenders.
The leaflet has been designed for
general use, so it can be made
available in other major town
centres and shopping areas such
as the Trafford Centre.
A series of presentations have also
been given by police and probation
staff to raise awareness of sex
offenders in our cities and to advise
on how to protect the public.
The presentations have attracted a
great deal of interest. They have
now been given to retail managers,
40 police officers/sergeants, local
authority staff, and employees at
Manchester’s Arndale centre
(including managers, food court
and security staff and toilet
attendants). The most recent was
to cinema staff working at the new
Printworks leisure complex.
The media can play a major role in
helping to alert the public. For
example, if an offender deliberately
fails to comply with supervision and
his whereabouts become unknown,
an appeal for information made be
made through the media. This may
allow them – and the public – to help
track down the offender and thereby
protect the public.
Plans for such a scenario are always
in place, but are rarely needed.
There have been no occasions so
far when such disclosure has been
required in Greater Manchester,
although this was actively
considered during 2002.
An offender due for release from
prison had been refusing to co-
operate with police and probation. It
was proposed that, should he fail to
comply with the terms of his licence
and report to the probation service
upon release, the media would be
informed and an appeal issued for
information about his whereabouts.
It was felt this would help safeguard
the public by raising awareness. In
the event, the man complied fully
and kept his release appointment.
A new initiative in 2002 was the
signing of a media protocol between
police, probation and the local and
regional media. This has helped to
ensure that the media are better
aware of how agencies co-operate to
manage offenders in the community
and how media coverage can both
help and hinder their supervision.
The protocol also sets out what
assistance police and probation will
offer to the media in their coverage.
The protocol was launched to editors
and journalists In June 2002. Almost
40 newspapers and broadcasters
have signed up. So far, it has been
used very successfully and has
promoted improved working
relationships between the media,
police and probation.
6. Supporting victims

There is a network of police Family may be living. The views of victims released back into the community.
Support Units throughout the are reported back and where For this reason, Victim Support staff
Greater Manchester area which appropriate will be taken into have been keen to become involved
support child victims and their account in the offender’s licence. in MAPPPs, in order to properly
families through the process of represent the victim’s interests and
reporting, investigation and The probation service’s remit is perspectives. They aim to work with
prosecution following a crime. limited to provision of information, agencies to assist in fulfilling their
Family Support Units help people but it is recognised that victims are obligations, whilst passing on the
who are victims of domestic violence often anxious and have an ongoing concerns of victims and ensuring
and those children who are subject need for emotional support and that victims are kept fully informed.
counselling. Although the probation
to violence or sexual assaults.
service is unable to provide such During the year, Greater
additional support, it maintains links Manchester’s Victim Support and
The St. Mary’s Sexual Offence
with local Victim Support services. Witness Service has become
Referral Centre, supported by
involved in the Government-led
Greater Manchester Police, is a
Victim Support is a national charity Street Crime Initiative. Witnesses of
national leader in supporting women
for people affected by crime. It is an violent crime have been contacted
and men who have been the victims
independent organisation, offering a and visited and their concerns
of sexual crimes. Counsellors are
free and confidential service, passed on. Some witnesses have
available to talk to in confidence.
whether or not a crime has been been accompanied to court,
reported. Trained staff and increasing their confidence in
Greater Manchester Police have
volunteers at local branches offer criminal justice and helping to
also acquired considerable expertise
information and support to victims, reduce the number of “cracked”
in pursuing criminal investigations
witnesses, their families and friends. trials.
where the victims are unknown or
difficult to reach, for example child
Victim Support provides the Witness Planning is also under way to
victims of internet pornography.
Service, based in every criminal provide an enhanced service to
court in England and Wales, to offer victims and witnesses and a multi-
Greater Manchester Probation Area
assistance before, during and after agency steering group set up to lead
employs a number of Probation
trial. You can also call the Victim this process. The aim is for the
Service Officers who undertake
Supportline – 0845 30 30 900 - for Victim Support and Witness Service
liaison work with victims. This is
information and support and details to have greater involvement in
required under Section 69 of the
of local services and other relevant supporting vulnerable and
Criminal Justice and Court Services
organisations. intimidated witnesses prior to trial.
Act 2000. These staff are based in
district offices and their role is to visit
Greater Manchester Victim Support Victim Support also supports local
those victims of serious violent or
and Witness Services is a charity victims and vulnerable witnesses
sexual offences where offenders are
providing local support and through the court process, through
sentenced to over 12 months’
assistance to victims of crime and to its Witness Service. This service is
imprisonment.
vulnerable witnesses. As a charity, available to both adults and children.
its resources are limited; it therefore
Victim Liaison Officers will provide
makes an assessment in each case In Bolton, a Young Witness Support
victims with information about the
in order to direct resource towards Scheme has been in place for some
offender’s sentence, parole eligibility
areas of greatest need. time. This scheme provides support
and any plans for release. They will
also ask the victim if they have any for young victims of crime who are
Where an offence is one of violence required to give evidence in court
views which might affect the
or of a sexual nature, the needs of proceedings.
offender’s licence conditions on
victims are greatly increased. The
release. For example, some
impact upon a victim can be A Support Worker will help prepare
offenders can be forbidden from
substantial, particularly where the the young person for the court by
making contact with victims or from
offender has the potential to be telling them what to expect and
coming into an area where the victim
arranging familiarisation visits.
They will also accompany the young
person to court and offer ongoing
support after the case.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
7. Promoting best practice
In Greater Manchester, a Multi-
Agency Risk Panel Steering Group
had already been set up to tackle
strategic issues around MARPs and
their operation. This group, with
some changes, then became the
countywide MAPPP Steering Group
following the CJ&CS Act 2000.
The group has now become the
MAPPA Strategic Management
Board.
The group is jointly led by a
Superintendent from Greater
Manchester Police and by an
Assistant Chief Officer from the
National Probation Service (Greater
Manchester), with the probation
Assistant Chief Officer in the chair.
In January 2003, the chair passed to
the police Detective Superintendent
for an agreed period of 2 years.
Other members of the group include
other police and probation
representatives, a local authority
housing manager, Deputy Chief
Executive of Victim Support, a
member of a local Youth Offending
Team, representatives from
departments of Social Services and
Education, a Prison Officer and
service director for Manchester
During 2002-3, this scheme was
extended to offer support to all
young witnesses involved in court
proceedings, not just victims.
Mental Health. Representation has
been sought from the Crown
Prosecution Service; it is hoped that
their representative will be able to
attend future meetings.
In addition, Greater Manchester has
been chosen to pilot a scheme
involving the appointment of Lay
Members to its strategic board.
Two lay members were recruited
and attended their first meeting in
January 2003. They bring a unique
perspective to the group and it is
hoped that their role will evolve
during their term of office.
The next section describes the early
experiences of one of Greater
Manchester’s lay members.
Membership of the full group will be
reviewed annually.
The county of Greater Manchester is
large and because it covers 10 local
authority districts, it is not practicable
to seek representatives from all 10
boroughs. The aim, however, is to
achieve countywide coverage from
amongst the membership. Those
appointed to the Steering Group are
not strictly representatives of their
Contact details for Greater
Manchester Victim Support and
Witness Service are listed in the
Contacts section at the end of this
document.
own authority or agency, but bring a
perspective from their particular area
of work. All have working
responsibilities for areas relevant to
MAPPPs.
In the North West police, probation
and prisons have tried to model, at a
strategic level, shared responsibility
for public protection.
Senior managers from all three
agencies meet regularly to look at
the strategic implications and
development of MAPP arrangements
to ensure consistent implementation
of national policy and guidance
across the region.
This work has culminated in an
annual seminar which attracts
representatives of other agencies to
emphasise the shared responsibility
for assessing and managing the risk
presented by potentially dangerous
offenders. These seminars are an
opportunity to update delegates on
national issues and to share best
practice at a regional level.
8. Being a lay member
Greater Manchester is one of only
eight areas in the country chosen
to pilot a lay member scheme.
In these eight areas, two lay
members have been appointed
from the general public to the
Strategic Management Boards
which oversee MAPPP
arrangements in the area.
One of Greater Manchester’s lay
members has been keeping a
journal of her early experiences in
the role. Here, she describes the
impact the work has made on her
so far….
“My interest began when I read a
newspaper article about a sex
offender who had stayed in a hotel
where children were also staying the
night. My first thoughts – as a parent
– were for the children and their
safety. I was concerned to know
what had been done to protect them.
When I saw the advertisement for
lay members, I was intrigued by the
prospect of not only viewing the
public protection work that takes
place but also being given the
opportunity to contribute my
perspective as a member of the
community.
Rigorous
I was really pleased to be appointed
and I am now beginning to value the
need for the rigorous process of
testing that was involved. We went
through six hours of testing,
assessment and interviews, to not
only ensure our objectivity but also
our ability to cope with what may be
a distressing area of work.
I am not from a professional
background, which I hope is useful,
and I am happy to be judge on my
ability to look at all aspects of a
case.
Shortly after appointment I was
invited to a regional seminar for
police, probation and other agencies
who work with sexual and violent
offenders. I was really surprised by
the status and importance of the
event, with over 100 people
attending committed to this area of
work.
All the lay members – there are 16 of
us nationally – were invited to attend
a training event in Birmingham. This
provided an insight into the nature of
sexual offending and a better
understanding of issues around
Megan’s Law and Sarah’s Law.
As my role develops, I am having all
kinds of opportunities extended to
me. I have visited Greater
Manchester Police’s Violent and Sex
Offender Registration Unit and been
with the police on home visits to
convicted sex offenders. I sat in
their homes and listened as police
elicited information from them.
Surveillance
I have been to Manchester Prison
and looked at the work undertaken
with offenders. I watched
surveillance personnel at work
monitoring drug smuggling. I spent
time talking to prison officers on the
wings where sex offenders are
housed.
A probation officer seconded to work
alongside police on high-risk cases
extends his time - often giving up his
lunch break - to explain and clarify
procedures to enable me to better
fulfil my role. I have also attended
MAPPP meetings.
The Detective Superintendent of
police for public protection is very
proactive in his role, maintaining
contact to ensure that I become
more competent in role.
I feel that people are being really
open and willing to share information
with me. They have shared their
difficulties, such as anomalies in the
law, but they are not complacent.
They continue to work proactively.
I want to know more. Some
agencies are not quite as active as
others and seem quite passive about
their contribution; I am interested to
know why.
Professional
But not one person has told me: “We
have got it right”. Everyone I have
met has been completely committed
to the work, acting professionally
and proactively in all they do. But
there is no complacency.
The police officer I accompanied on
home visits confided: “It feels like
treading water”. There is no let-up.
There is a constant re-evaluation of
what is happening; no-one ever sits
back and congratulates themselves
on doing well.
Although the Annual Report tries to
give a full and descriptive view of the
work of the agencies involved in
public protection, it somehow fails to
capture the level of commitment and
determination of so many individuals
involved in this work. Seeing it first
hand has made it come alive for me.
The level of detail involved, sharing
information and knowledge, is rarely
seen.
Safety
In Greater Manchester, the music
matches the words: what should
happen does actually happen. I feel
confident in sharing my belief that
what is happening here in
Manchester definitely enhances the
safety of everyone within our
community.
9. Statistical Information Number of offenders

i. The number of Registered Sex Offenders (RSOs) in the community on 1278

31 March 2003

The number of RSOs per 100,000 population 49

ii. The number of SOs having a registration requirement who were either 70
cautioned or convicted for breaches of the requirements between 1
April 2002 and 31 March 2003

iii. The number of Sex Offender Orders applied for and gained between 1
April 2002 and 31 March 2003

(a) The total number of Sex Offender Orders applied for 4

(b) The total number granted 3

(c) The total number not granted 1

iv. The number of Restraining Orders issued by the courts between 1 April 2
2002 and 31 March 2003 for offenders currently managed within
MAPPA

v. The number of violent offenders and other sexual offenders considered 1682
under MAPPA during the year 1 April 2002 and 31 March 2003 (as
defined by section 68 (3) (4) & (5) CJ & CS Act 2000)
N.B. The figure (right) shows the probation caseload at 31.3.2003 for
those sentenced to 12m or more for violent & sexual offences, minus
the no. of those who are registered sex offenders

vi. The number of “other offenders” dealt with under MAPPA during the 20
year 1 April 2002 and 31 March 2003 as being assessed by the
Responsible Authority as posing a risk of serious harm to the public
(but who did not fall within either of the other two categories, as defined
by s.67 (2b)

vii. For each of the three categories of offenders covered by the MAPPA
(“registered sex offenders”, “violent and other sex offenders” and “other
offenders”), identify the number of offenders that are or have been dealt
with by:
 a) MAPPP – registered sex offenders 75

b) MAPPP – violent and other sex offenders 60

c) MAPPP – other offenders 20

viii. Of the cases managed by the MAPPP during the reporting year
what was the number of offenders:

a) who were returned to custody for breach of licence 25

b) who were returned to custody for breach of a Restraining Order or Sex 6

Offender Order

c) charged with a serious sexual or violent offence 2

• During 2002-3, two cases involved offenders being charged with a further
serious sexual or violent offence whilst the subject of MAPPP
proceedings.

• One of these was a dangerous offender who had been under close
supervision; he was arrested by police within hours of an incident being
reported. He was later sentenced to 8 years’ imprisonment after pleading
guilty to attempted kidnapping. He will be subject to strict and intensive
supervision upon release with an additional 2 years’ supervision in the
community.

• The second case involves a difficult young man with a history of indecent
assaults against women. Only 19, he has not been diagnosed as
mentally ill but has now been referred for psychological assessments. He
appears to live in a fantasy world with little grasp on reality and it has
proved extremely difficult to work with him. Whilst living with his mother,
he committed an offence of indecent assault; he was remanded in
custody but later released on bail. He is currently in prison again, having
twice breached extremely tight bail conditions. Agencies are now looking
towards a Sex Offender Order or Restraining Order as a way of
maintaining tighter control of him in future.
Contacts

Greater Manchester Probation Area Address Phone

Assistant Chief Officer (Risk Assessment & 6th Floor 0161 872 4802
Management) Oakland House
Talbot Road
Old Trafford
Manchester
M16 0PQ

Head of PR & Communications (As above) 0161 886 4802

Greater Manchester Police Address Phone

Detective Superintendent (Crime Support Services) Crime Operations Department 0161 872 5050
Bradford Park
3 Bank Street
Clayton
Manchester
M11 4AA

Head of the Public Protection Section (As above) 0161 856 6571

Media enquiries Force Headquarters 0161 856 2239

Assistant Director (Corporate Communications) Boyer Street
Stretford
Manchester
M16 0RE

Greater Manchester Victim Support and Witness Service Address Phone

Chief Executive/Deputy Chief Executive 153-157 Chorley Street 0161 727 0244
Swinton
Manchester
M27 4AE
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