One of my major campaigns in Westminster this year has been working to close a dangerous loophole that allows those on the Sex Offenders Register to change their name and avoid justice. This was brought to my attention by an incredibly brave constituent and led me to meet Della Wright, a campaigner who has been working on this issue with the Safeguarding Alliance for many years and who wrote a book detailing her experiences of this. I have been incredibly fortunate to meet with Della and the Safeguarding Alliance on numerous occasions now to discuss how we may finally fix this problem.
On 1 March 2023, I introduced the Sexual Offences (Prohibition of Name Change) Bill during what is known as a 10 Minute Rule Bill debate.
I did this to raise attention to this issue and to make clear my intention to use the upcoming Victims and Prisoners Bill to ensure this loophole is finally closed. In my view, those on the Sex Offenders Register must be forbidden from changing their name as a matter of law.
This Bill had the support of over 50 colleagues from across the political spectrum including two former Home Secretaries, a former Justice Secretary and a former Prime Minister.
While this is a national campaign, I know this change will have a profound impact on those across the Bolsover Constituency. It will put victims first, ensure those guilty of heinous crimes cannot evade justice and, I hope, will provide some level of justice to those who have suffered as a result of this loophole.
I have discussed this campaign in private meetings with Ministers, spoken in Parliamentary debates such as Sarah Champion MP’s Backbench Business Debate on 2 March 2023, and in numerous TV and radio interviews. This fight remains ongoing, and I will ensure to keep you all updated with any progress.
