What is Sarah's Law?

Sarah's Law, also known as the child sex offender disclosure scheme, means that parents, guardians and carers are legally entitled to ask the police about whether another person has a record against them for child sexual offences. Since the powers under Sarah's Law were initiated, more than 700 disclosures of paedophiles have been made throughout the UK.

The Background of Sarah's Law

The scheme was brought about by the Home Office by way of offering further protection to children. Working in conjunction with Sara Payne, whose daughter, eight-year-old daughter Sarah was murdered by an already convicted paedophile, authorities aim to reduce risks to children through the scheme.

Sarah Payne lived in Hersham, Surrey, at the time of her disappearance on 1st July 2000. Whilst playing in a cornfield near her paternal grandparents' home, Sarah was abducted. After lengthy and painstaking searches, Sarah's body was found 15 miles away from her home, in a field near Pulborough on 17th July 2000.

Convicted paedophile, Roy Whiting, was arrested and convicted of having abducted and murdered Sarah. He had previously abducted and sexually assaulted a girl of eight years old, and received a four year prison sentence for the offence.

On 12th December 2001, Whiting was sentenced to life imprisonment for the abduction and murder of Sarah.

Sarah's mother, Ms Payne, tirelessly campaigned for a similar law to that of the American's Megan's Law to be introduced in the UK, which would allow every parent in the country to know if a registered child sex offender or dangerous offender was living nearby.

How does Sarah's Law work?

Sarah's Law is applicable throughout the country and all 43 police forces in England, Wales and Scotland are included.

It is possible for any person who wants to know whether someone who has contact with a child has a criminal record for sexual offences to use the Sarah's Law scheme. An application will be made to the relevant police force who will process the request, but disclosure is not guaranteed.

There does not need to be formal grounds or firm reasoning for a person to apply to find out whether someone has a record of this nature. Applicants are most often parents or guardians, but grandparents and neighbours of children are also entitled to make use of the scheme.

The police can only provide the information to the person who makes the application, and the applicant is legally required to keep the disclosed information confidential.