FOREWORD

by Baroness Scotland QC,

Minister of State for Criminal Justice
and Offender Management

The work being undertaken to improve the safety of communities through the Multi-
Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) is vitally important and a priority for
government. The annual reports for 2004/5 provide evidence of that active engagement.
Violence and sexual abuse are unacceptable wherever they occur, and it is evident that
through MAPPA such offenders are identified and better managed than ever before. As
the number of offenders within MAPPA continues to grow as expected, there is clear
evidence that the Responsible Authority, that is the local police, probation and prison
service, is addressing these additional demands by strengthening local partnerships,
using new statutory powers to restrict the behaviour of offenders, returning offenders to
custody where they breach their licence or order, and using the findings of research and
inspection to strengthen national guidance and local practice.

Although it is never possible completely to eliminate the risk posed by dangerous

offenders, MAPPA is helping to ensure that fewer people are re-victimised.

The active implementation of the Criminal Justice Act (2003) during the last year has
clearly enhanced the ability of a number of agencies including health, social services
and housing to work collaboratively with the Responsible Authority in assessing and
managing those sexual and violent offenders in our communities who pose the highest
risk of serious harm. For the continued success of MAPPA this collaboration, together
with the scrutiny of policy and practice, must become the hallmark of these
arrangements. Similarly MAPPA must integrate with other public protection mechanisms
dealing with child abuse, domestic abuse and racial abuse.

For me one of the most exciting developments in this arena in the last 12 months has
been the appointment of lay advisers to assist the Responsible Authority in the oversight
of the arrangements. As ordinary members of the public these lay advisers represent a
diverse, able and committed group of people who are now helping the statutory agencies
to oversee the work being undertaken through MAPPA and communicate with the public
more effectively. Without a growing sense of public knowledge and confidence about this
work, much of the benefits of the public protection arrangements will be lost.

I hope this annual report will be useful, informative and re-assuring to local communities.
The agencies and individuals who have contributed to the achievement of MAPPA
locally are to be commended.

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THE RESPONSIBLE AUTHORITIES

PROBATION John Stafford – Chief Officer, Merseyside Probation Area

Public Protection is the overriding priority for the National Probation
Service, and inter-agency arrangements lie at the heart of Merseyside
Probation Area’s commitment to making this region a safer place to live
and work. The MAPPA annual report concentrates on the minority of
offenders who pose a high risk to the community, and how we in the
Probation, Police and Prison Services join forces with professionals
from a wide range of other agencies to manage those offenders to
rigorous and exacting standards. This joint approach, with a single
focus, is now well established in Merseyside. Senior managers in all
Criminal Justice agencies meet regularly to ensure field staff work together in the most
collaborative and productive way. Primarily this is by sharing information to manage the
critical few offenders who require particular attention, and by delivering intensive
interventions through the various avenues of the Criminal Justice System.

POLICE Bernard Hogan-Howe – Chief Constable, Merseyside Police

I want Merseyside Police to be the best force in the country. To achieve
this aim, I insist on the highest standards of professional competence
from all those who work for Merseyside Police: officers and police staff.
However, in delivering this professional service, I also want those who
work for the force to display a caring attitude towards those they serve.
Professional competence without a caring approach will not do; neither
will a caring approach without professional competence. With our
partners in the Probation and Prison Services, we have achieved
tangible results over the past year through targeting those offenders
who present a real threat to our communities. I believe that we are capable of delivering
more. Through improved partnership working, we will target repeated activity relating to
victims, offenders and locations. Together we will build an area in which it is safe to live,
visit and invest. The MAPPA arrangements present a great opportunity to deliver on
these promises.

PRISONS Ian Lockwood CBE – Area Manager, HM Prison Service North West
The inclusion of HM Prison Service as part of the Responsible
Authority for MAPPA has been an important one. The Prison Service
has a long history of protecting the public by holding securely those
individuals sentenced to custody by the Courts. The statutory
involvement in MAPPA brought about by the Criminal Justice Act
(2003) has provided a springboard for greater collaboration with
colleagues in the Police, Probation and ‘duty to co-operate’ agencies.
By preparing thorough risk assessments, managing robust sentence
planning and working closely with MAPPA in the crucial period prior to an offender
returning to the community, the Prison Service has been able to discharge its duty to
protect the public from those individuals who present the most significant risk.

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THE NEW ROLE OF THE PRISONS
One of the important ways in which the Criminal Justice Act (2003) strengthened the
MAPPA was to make the Prison Service part of the Responsible Authority with police
and probation in each of the 42 Areas in England and Wales. The Prison Service has
been given the enhanced role in recognition of the important part it plays in protecting
the public by keeping offenders in custody, helping them to address the cause of their
offending behaviour, and by undertaking other work to assist their successful
resettlement.

As part of the Responsible Authority the Prison Service is now represented on each of
the Strategic Management Boards (SMBs) in the 42 Areas. The Prison estate is
configured differently from Police/Probation areas in that its establishments are
contained within only twelve geographical areas and two functional areas - the High
Security estate and the Contracted Prisons. For this reason arrangements for Prison
Service representatives on SMBs vary across the country, but each Prison Service Area
Manager has entered into an agreement with the SMBs on how the Service will
contribute both strategically and operationally to the MAPPA. The main focus of the
Prison Service contribution is at operational level. A number of measures have been put
into place across the prison estate to ensure that this will be effective, viz:

■ Prompt identification of MAPPA offenders so that their details can be used in

sentence planning arrangements, including interventions to manage and reduce
risk.

■ Regular monitoring of the behaviour of those assessed as presenting the highest

risk, and sharing information with police and probation colleagues.

■ All relevant risk management information being provided to multi-agency

meetings which help plan an offender's release.

■ At least three months notification to police and probation of the expected release
dates of those offenders who have been referred to the Multi-Agency Public
Protection Panel (MAPPP), and at least six weeks notification of those being
managed at Level 2 risk meetings.

■ No changes to release dates or arrangements being made without prior

consultation with police and probation.

Playing an effective role in the multi-agency risk management of MAPPA offenders

requires good communication between criminal justice partners. The Prison Service has
taken steps to ensure that there are dedicated points of contact for public protection at
both Area level and in every prison establishment, and that these are published together
with police and probation contacts to ensure better communication across the
Responsible Authority. With the ever increasing MAPPA population, and the proportion
of those received into prison likely to grow with the introduction of the new public
protection sentences, the inclusion of the Prison Service as part of the Responsible
Authority will continue to be vital in protecting the public.

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KEY ACHIEVEMENTS
All community/custodial sentences passed by the Courts are now involved in a nationally
recognised risk assessment process called OASys (Offender Assessment System).

This is a detailed and complex process that focuses on the potential risk any offender
may cause to others. It then concentrates on the interventions that are required during a
period of supervision which are strictly enforced.

Both the Prison and Probation Services now use this single risk assessment system.
In fact the two Services have now been brought together under a single structure called
the National Offender Management Service (NOMS). This approach offers the
consistency of one integrated system to manage an offender from the day the Court
passes sentence, to the day the sentence/supervision period has been completed.

Throughout the year senior managers in the relevant agencies and organisations have
met as the Strategic Management Board for the Multi-Agency Public Protection
Arrangements to ensure best practice is operating across the Merseyside Area. For
example a single information sharing protocol has been agreed by the SMB, and is now
in the process of being agreed by all the relevant agencies.

In May 2004, colleagues in Merseyside took part in a North West Regional seminar
entitled 'MAPPA and Mental Health'. This was pursued as there is now a 'duty to co-
operate' expectation on health colleagues (along with other relevant agencies) to share
information on patients who may pose a risk to others.

Quote from Marian Bullivant, Deputy Director of Nursing, Mersey Care Health
Trust:

"The Mersey Care Trust has continued to work within, and be supported by, the
MAPPA process. We have agreed to sign up to the information sharing protocol. In
2004/5 22 Mersey Care service users came under MAPPA, totalling 45 inter-agency
meetings. The majority of patients were suffering from mental illness e.g.
schizophrenia, or from a personality disorder - the main concern being the potential
for violent behaviour".

The MAPPA process in the Merseyside Area has very close links with the community
psychiatric services and more specialist forensic psychiatric services, which are closely
linked to the facilities at Ashworth Special Hospital in Maghull and the Secure Unit, Scott
Clinic in Rainhill. Health colleagues also hold their own risk assessment meetings to
assist with MAPPA cases. Excellent working relationships exist between health
colleagues and those in the criminal justice agencies.

In 2004/5 the courts and the criminal justice agencies dealt with thousands of cases.
The critical few are managed via the MAPPA process and broken down into 3 levels.

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Level 1
Where a single agency, e.g. the Probation Service, can safely manage an individual.

Level 2
Where the combined forces of at least 2 agencies are required to manage an individual.

Level 3
This is the highest level of risk, reserved for the 'critical few' who pose a particular risk to
the public,requiring input from a range of agencies. Senior managers come together to
allocate significant resources to manage each individual.

In 2004/5 a total of 141 individuals were managed at either Level 2 or Level 3. Each
case is reviewed regularly throughout the year, totalling over 500 meetings. Of that
number only three were charged with a new serious offence. In addition, 31 were
returned to custody for failing to co-operate to the required standard.

In the same period Merseyside Police recorded 941 offenders on the sex offender
register of which 25 were cautioned or charged with a failure to register within required
timescales etc. The annual figure will increase year on year, as some offenders will
remain on the register for the rest of their natural lives. Merseyside Police have specialist
units concentrating on this work and, in addition, in January 2004 introduced a central
Public Protection Unit to co-ordinate area activities.

The authority for MAPPA activities was formalised (as a statutory duty) in the Criminal
Justice and Court Services Act 2000. That same Act also brought victim issues into the
centre of the criminal justice process, and for the first time gave statutory rights to victims
of sexual or violent crime where the offender received a prison sentence of one year or
more.

A Victim's Experience:
George is retired, and was assaulted while out doing some voluntary
work during which he had his wallet stolen. He was pushed to the
floor, and sustained an injury in the process. He was especially
concerned for his grandson who was with him at the time. After
being visited by a Probation Victim Liaison Officer, George said:

"I did not know this service existed, but I am glad it does, it makes me feel
that someone still believes that the victim matters and is not forgotten,
when the offender has a network of people who are waiting to assist them.
I felt isolated at the end of the trial and did not even know how to get out of
the court room. I am glad that you have come to give me information that I
feel I should have, to enable me to try to get on with my life, instead of
wondering when the offender is coming out of prison and feeling no-one
cares. I am also glad that I have a voice by way of being part of the
release plan. I now feel better in myself and in a better position to cope
with things".

All MAPPA work has the protection of the public and victims as its driving influence, and a
new Victims’ Charter is due out in late 2005.
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An Offender Case Study (Alan, aged 30)

Alan had a long, escalating record of violent crime - robbing victims to gain money to buy
drugs, and spending between £50 and £100 per day on his drug habit. He had been in
care and served a number of prison sentences. Even in prison he was difficult, not
wanting to confront his offending. His family had disowned him, he had nowhere to live
and fully expected to return to his life of crime on release from prison. All the risk
assessments showed him to be a high risk to the public, and consequently he came to
the attention of MAPPA. The relevant Criminal Justice representatives met to plan for
his return to the community. All effort was focused on preventing Alan re-offending and
minimising opportunities for him to do so. This included intensive and disruptive tactics.

Alan’s prison release was subject to strict Licence conditions, ie.

■ To reside at a Probation Hostel, subject to curfew arrangements.

■ To receive prescribed drug treatment.
■ To undergo regular drug treatment.
■ Not to engage in any employment, without the prior approval of his
supervising officer.
■ Not to contact the victim of his previous offence.

As Alan was regarded as a high risk, prolific offender, he came under the supervision of
an inter-agency group who give intensive oversight to such offenders. The team is made
up of police, probation, health and drug treatment colleagues - with access to other
relevant support services such as accommodation providers. Alan had to report four to
five times per week, and was tested regularly to see if he had returned to drug misuse.

At first Alan was difficult and demanding, seeing himself as 'the victim' and had no
appreciation of the misery caused by his previous offending behaviour. Some drug tests
showed Alan had returned to drug misuse so extra oversight was put into place. After
receiving a formal warning Alan started to co-operate with the agencies concerned.
He responded well to his prescribed medication and soon his drug tests were negative.
Alan's life started to stabilise for the first time in years.

He moved out of the Probation Hostel to semi-supervised independent living, where he

has settled well. He started to co-operate with probation and police colleagues who work
together from the same location. He slowly recognised he had a final opportunity to sort
his life out and any further slip-ups would mean an immediate return to custody. Alan's
educational standard improved, and he started to look for work. Quite unexpectedly his
family renewed contact with him, and hopes are high for a more stable future.

Alan has a long prison licence yet to complete and after a rocky start, meaningful and
sustained improvement has been seen. So far so good - but criminal justice
representatives remain alert and vigilant. They know Alan well and will quickly pick up
any sign of deterioration in his behaviour.

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STATISTICAL INFORMATION No. of Offenders

Category 1 – MAPPA Offenders: Registered Sex Offenders (RSOs)

i. The number of registered sex offenders in Merseyside on 31 March 2005: 941

ia. The number of registered sex offenders per 100,000 head of population: 67

ii. The number of sex offenders having a registration requirement who were either 25
cautioned or convicted for breaches of the requirement, between 1 April 2004
and 31 March 2005:

iii. The number of

a) Sexual Offences Prevention Orders (SOPOs) applied for: 13

b) Interim Sexual Offences Prevention Orders granted: 12
c) Full Sexual Offences Prevention Orders imposed: 12

between 1 April 2004 and 31 March 2005

iv. The number of

a) Notification Orders applied for: 1

b) Interim Notification Orders granted: 1
c) Full Notification Orders imposed: 1

between 1 April 2004 and 31 March 2005

v. The number of Foreign Travel Orders

a) Applied for: 0
b) Imposed: 0

between 1 April 2004 and 31 March 2005

Category 2 – MAPPA Offenders: Violent Offenders and Other Sexual Offenders (V&OS)

vi. The number of Violent and Other Sexual Offenders (as defined by Section 327 (3), 684
(4) and (5) of the Criminal Justic Act (2003)) living in the Merseyside area between
1 April 2004 and 31 March 2005:

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Category 3 – MAPPA Offenders: Other Offenders (OthO)

vii. The number of Other Offenders (as defined by Section 325 (2) (b) of the 4
Criminal Justice Act (2003)) living in the Merseyside area between 1 April 2004
and 31 March 2005:

Category 4 – Offenders managed through Level 3 (MAPPP)

and Level 2 (Local Inter-Agency Management)

viii. The number of MAPPA offenders in each of the three categories who have been Level 3 Level 2
managed through MAPPP (Level 3) and through Local Inter-Agency
Management (Level 2) between 1 April 2004 and 31 March 2005

a) Registered Sex Offenders 30 30

b) Violent and Other Offenders 31 32
c) Other Offenders 4 14

viiii. The number of MAPPA offenders between 1 April 2004 and 31 March 2005, Level 3 Level 2
managed at Levels 2 or 3 that were

a) Returned to custody for breach of Licence 11 20

b) Returned to custody for beach of a restraining order or 0 0
sexual offences prevention order
c) Charged with a serious sexual or violent offence 1 2

A serious sexual or violent offence is defined as one of the following:

Murder
Attempted murder
Arson (where there is an attempt to endanger life
Manslaughter
Rape
Kidnap/Abduction or Attempted Kidnap/Abduction
Any other very serious violent or very serious sexual offence
Armed robbery (defined as robbery involving a firearm)
Assault with a deadly weapon or hostage taking
Any other violent or sexual offence where the offender/offence is likely to attract
significant media interest or which raises wider issues of national interest.

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STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT BOARD (SMB)

Terry Eastham Assistant Chief Officer National Probation Service

Merseyside

Mick Giannasi Assistant Chief Constable Merseyside Police

Charlie Barker Director of Social Services Sefton Social Services

Kath Fielding District Housing Manager Knowsley Housing Trust

Howard Cooper Director of Education & Wirral Education Authority

Cultural Services

Alan Critchley Area Manager Youth Offending Team

(St Helens)

Dr Stephen Noblett Head of Services Mersey Forensic Psychiatry

Services

Gaynor Bell Chairperson SAMM (Merseyside)

Mark Livingstone Risk Management North West Prison Service

Co-Ordinator Area Office

Graham Wright Chief Superintendent Merseyside Police

Marjorie Webster Clinical Management South Knowsley Community

Mental Health Team

Geoff Fryer Crown Prosecution Service Liverpool Magistrates Court

Brian McNeill Detective Superintendent Merseyside Police

Marian Bullivant Deputy Director of Nursing Mersey Care Trust

Carol Chalmers Chief Executive Victim Support & Witness

Services Merseyside

NB: The Strategic Management Board will expand in 2005/06 to include two Lay
members; recruitment is currently underway. This is an important development which
has worked well in pilot areas around the country. The Lay members will bring a helpful
public view to MAPPA work in Merseyside.

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CONCLUSION
This annual report has attempted to explain current arrangements that are in place to
bring all the relevant agencies/organisations together to jointly manage difficult, high risk
offenders. These offenders are ones that tend to hit the headlines and can quickly come
to seem the norm, when in fact this is far from the case.

This report includes all the latest statistical information, and gives actual examples of
high risk offenders who have been safely managed within the community. We hope this
report has reassured you, whilst recognising there will always be concerns and worries,
especially by individuals who feel particularly vulnerable. The SMB members would
welcome any comments or queries concerning the content of this report.

Should you wish to make contact please do so via:-

Terry Eastham - SMB - Co-Chair

National Probation Service (Merseyside Area HQ)
4th Floor, South Wing, Burlington House
Crosby Road North
Waterloo
Liverpool
L22 0PJ

Tel: 0151-920 9201 Ext 261

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