500 plus sex offenders including jailed rapist are being watched

A dangerous double rapist, Daniel Jones, locked up for 17 years, is among the sex offenders being closely managed by a small Worcester-based team.

However, DS Lindsey Hewitt, who manages sex offenders across South Worcestershire, wanted to assure the public Worcester and other towns and villages in their jurisdiction were largely safe places.

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JAILED: Daniel Jones. Photo: West Mercia Police

This is partly because sex offenders are being so 'intensively managed' including via unannounced home visits and monitoring of devices such as phones and laptops.

DS Hewitt, based at Worcester Police Station, said: "I don't want to instil fear in parents. I don't want to make people feel Worcester isn't safe because it is - though we have to be aware of the risks and dangers.

TEAM: L-R DS Lindsey Hewitt, DI Dave Knight and DS Kris Stevens

"We are committed to ensuring public safety. It's all about protecting people from harm and keeping communities safe."

Jones was caught with his second victim still in his home while under investigation for another rape.

We reported last November how the 28-year-old 'predatory' rapist was declared dangerous by the Worcester judge who jailed him.

One of the reasons he was caught was that offender managers investigated why the battery on his electronic tag was running low, arriving at his address in Welland.

It turned out Jones had left his home, in breach of his bail conditions, to pick up his second victim.

In total 519 offenders who have either committed, or are believed to be at risk of committing, sexual offences are now being monitored by the South Worcestershire Mosovo Team (management of sex offenders and violent offenders).

Of those 519 offenders, the vast majority (around 95 per cent) are registered sex offenders.

Others are subject to other orders which identify them as a 'potentially dangerous person' (PDP).

Not all of those 519 people are living in South Worcestershire. In total, 92 are in prison, some are abroad and others no longer live in the county.

Some are offenders who may have committed offences elsewhere but are now living in South Worcestershire. In total 401 sex offenders are being actively managed in the community.

DS Hewitt, who manages the sex offenders, keeps tabs on them using Visor, a national database system introduced following the Soham murders.