Cumbria

MULTI-AGENCY PUBLIC PROTECTION

ARRANGEMENTS
CUMBRIA

ANNUAL REPORT
2002 – 2003
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.

Paul Goggins

THE NATIONAL PICTURE

This section of the report draws attention to 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 MAPPP).

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.

i. WHAT HAS BEEN HAPPENING IN CUMBRIA

This is the second annual report on the Multi-Agency Arrangements for the
assessment and management of Violent and Sexual Offenders who pose a risk to
the community.

Local arrangements in Cumbria have been in place since 1998 following the
introduction of the Sex Offenders Act 1997. The multi-agency commitment to
working effectively to protect the public has grown significantly with the
identification of the Police and Probation Service as the “Responsible Authority”
under the terms of the Criminal Justice and Courts Services Act 2000.

During the year 2002/03 there have been many developments that have
enhanced working relationships across all agencies. These have contributed to
reducing risk and protecting victims and include such things as:-

¾ The Strategic Management Board has continued to meet to ensure that Public
Protection arrangements are effective and robustly managed in Cumbria

¾ Joint training sessions have been held on the introduction of the Offender
Assessment System (OASys) between the Police, Probation Service, HM
Prison Service and other statutory and non statutory agencies

¾ Local arrangements between the Probation Service, Police, Social Services

and Mental Health Teams have been put in place for joint risk assessments
on specific offenders

¾ The existing protocols on the exchange of information were demonstrated to

be highly effective when they were tested during “Operation Alarm” into the
investigation of Child Pornography on the Internet

¾ The publication of inter-agency Inspections on Safeguarding Children and the

Laming Report into the death of Victoria Climbie have been carefully
considered within Cumbria. This has enabled a greater emphasis and priority
being placed on the protection of children as a strategic objective at the
highest level

¾ Cumbria Multi-Agency Public Protection Strategic Management Board played

a significant role in the preparation and management of the North West
Regional Public Protection Seminar. Over 110 delegates from 14 different
agencies and interest groups attended the seminar in November 2002

¾ Possibly the most significant and innovative development has been the
recruitment and appointment of two Lay Members to the Strategic
Management Board. Cumbria is one of eight areas chosen as pilots for the
introduction of Lay Members. Two members of the public were appointed to
the Strategic Management Board in October 2002 for three years. This
development has helped to:-

- increase community involvement

- reflect community needs and opinions
- promote community based measures
- hold professionals to account

Our two Lay Members for Cumbria write:-

“It was a very rigorous appointment process but then so it should be, given
the importance of public protection. It is of course too early to say if Lay
Membership will improve the processes involved in this work. Suffice to say
that I have been welcomed and every opportunity has been given to
contribute. Further training leading to better understanding is planned and
will be most useful. That good work is being done despite constraints on
resources is undoubted. There is an economic cost of public protection and
if we want more of it we must be prepared to pay for it.”
Mr L Finn, Lay Member
“I am one of the pair of Lay Members recently appointed in Cumbria. I am a
teacher with two school aged children. After reading the job description in
the local press I became interested in this project because it offered an
opportunity to get involved in something of real importance and of
increasing media attention.

Cumbria is at the forefront with this initiative.

I want to be able to offer an unbiased view as an ordinary member of the

public. I do not claim to be able to voice the majority opinion or to speak for
the community but I have been given a role of being honest about my
concerns or doubts about plans for the most dangerous of our offenders. I
hope that this is reassuring to other members of the public. I am proud to be
involved in such a vital area of public protection and really pleased that an
independent voice is welcomed.
Ms L Norris, Lay Member
ii. ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES –
WHAT DO WE DO?
The Strategic Management Board for Cumbria has representatives from Police,
Probation, Social Services, the NSPCC, H.M.Prison Service, the Health Service,
Housing Authority, Lay Members and the Youth Offending Team.

The Police and Probation Service have a statutory responsibility to lead this work
but this could not be achieved without the active and sustained commitment of all
the other representatives. This enables a really joint approach to be created which
strengthens the decisions that need to be made and helps to release the
resources required to manage dangerous offenders

Essentially each agency brings their own expertise and resources to an

assessment of an individual in order to develop a plan to reduce re-offending and
minimise any potential risks to members of the pubic.

The M.A.P.P Arrangements are designed to identify Potentially Dangerous

Offenders and then co-ordinate action plans and strategies to minimise risk and
reduce offending.

An initial assessment will normally be undertaken by the Police and Probation

Service. The assessment will be informed by information provided by any other
agency that has identified a concern. Quite often assessments will involve joint
home visits by Police, Probation or other workers. Local risk assessments are
undertaken between Police, Probation and Health or Social Services. where an
individual is deemed to represent a significant risk, more detailed assessments
will be undertaken. This will often involve arranging for the exchange of relevant
information that would assist in the assessment and management of potentially
dangerous individuals.

The Youth Offending Team is able to make a very valued contribution to the
assessment and management of persons under the age of 18 and provides direct
links to Education Services.
iii. MAPPA – HOW DOES IT OPERATE?
The contribution of the various agencies may best be described in examples from
recent cases.

1. “M” is a 47 year old male who was serving 12 years for serious sexual assaults.
He was due to be released in November 2002 to accommodation in Cumbria.

Careful risk assessments had been undertaken during the latter stages of his
prison sentence and regular multi-agency meetings had been held to devise a set
of licence conditions that would support “M”, reduce his level of risk and take
account of the concerns of past victims.

The level of scrutiny by Prison staff, Police, Probation and Health Service workers
enabled appropriate medical interventions to be provided. The treatment “M”
received on release was provided within a secure psychiatric setting. He is now
responding well to the treatment and his risk level is reducing. Without the active
participation of all the relevant agencies “M” would have deteriorated significantly
on release without the specialist treatment identified within the MAPP.

2. “D” is a 32 year old male who had a past history of extremely violent assaults
against his female partners. Although he was not subject to any statutory
supervision he became subject to the MAPP arrangements when he started a
relationship with a vulnerable young female known to Social Services. The risk
management strategy, formed as part of a Multi-Agency Public Protection
meeting, enabled the Police, Social Services and the Health Service to actively
monitor “D’s” behaviour and provide effective support and guidance to his partner.
Joint visits by Police and Social Workers to his home and the open sharing of
information with “D” reduced his level of risk and violent behaviour. When he
eventually re-offended he was swiftly arrested and successfully prosecuted. “D’s”
partner received appropriate support and acknowledged that the multi-agency
approach had been extremely helpful in protecting her.

3. “B” is a 52 year old male who had been sentenced to 15 months imprisonment
with an extended period of Licence supervision for 30 months following release.
“B” had been convicted of Acts of Gross Indecency against young boys and
failure to notify the Police of a change of address in accordance with the terms of
his Sex Offender registration.

A Multi-Agency Public Protection meeting was held prior to “B’s” release to

establish a plan for managing the risks “B” presented to young boys. Contact had
been made by the Probation Service with the family of “B’s” victim and the
Licence conditions were used to prevent any attempt by “B” to make contact with
young boys.

On the day of his release from prison “B” failed to report to his Probation Officer
as required. This failure was swiftly considered jointly by the Police and Probation
Service. “B” was returned to prison immediately following a recommendation to
the Sentence Enforcement Unit.
4. “C” is a 48 year old male who had been imprisoned for Indecent Assault on
children when he was employed in a position of trust. “C” had received a
sentence of 18 months imprisonment with a period of Licence supervision by the
Probation Service on release.

The circumstances of the offence and the offender’s attitude towards them gave
cause for concern when considered within the MAPP Meeting. In order to protect
the community it was decided to disclose certain details surrounding “C” and his
behaviour. Relevant information was therefore shared with key individuals within
“C’s” previous profession in order to ensure that he did not obtain access to
children. The decision to disclose information within the community was made
following consultation on a multi-agency basis and within the Protocols on
Sharing Information developed in Cumbria.
----------------------------

The range of work undertaken with offenders is based on the careful

Assessment of risks.

The implementation of the Offender Assessment System (OASys) has enabled

the assessment of offenders to be more accurately based on evidence of “What
Works”. This helps workers to identify the appropriate interventions designed to
reduce re-offending. OASys also enables other specialist assessments to be
considered in relation to risks posed by sex offenders, violent offenders, the
mentally ill and dangerous offenders. Many of these assessments have been
approved and undertaken on a multi-agency basis.

The Probation Service has a statutory responsibility to supervise offenders in

order to protect the public. This is increasingly done by the provision of
accredited programmes. The programmes are based on research into the most
successful ways to help offenders stop offending and change their behaviour.

In Cumbria the NSPCC in partnership with the Probation Service, provides an

Accredited Sex Offender Group work programme. The aim of the programme is
to motivate and equip offenders with the skills for self control over their
behaviour. Involvement in appropriate treatment is one of the most successful
methods of protecting the public from future risk.

Self control may not be sufficient in itself, particularly in the early stages of
supervision. Therefore effective risk management requires a combination of self
control and external controls. The Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements
in Cumbria have a key role in providing external controls. This can mean joint
assessments and home visits, planned supervision and surveillance over long
periods of time with, on occasion, extensive monitoring arrangements. All this
activity may be in addition to participation in an accredited programme.

Where there is a statutory involvement by the Probation Service, supervision

plans and contact levels are rigorously applied.

Any failure to comply with the terms of a Community Penalty or Post Custodial
Licence is robustly enforced. This is increasingly a shared approach supported
by the Police and Courts in Cumbria.
 Specific information on individuals is made available to the public where it is
identified that such disclosures would reduce the risks posed and serve to protect
the public from individual offenders.

Any disclosure is subject to discussion within a MAPPP meeting and endorsed as

part of any risk management strategy confirmed by a senior manager.

Examples in Cumbria of effective disclosure have included:-

¾ A 27 year old male was released from a 3 year term of imprisonment for sexual
offences against children. The man was subject to an extended licence
supervised by the Probation Service. Prior to release a MAPPP was held where a
joint strategy of rigorous supervision, surveillance and support was agreed
between the Police, Probation, Housing providers and the Health Service.

Due to the nature of the man’s offending it was felt appropriate to advise staff of
local libraries and leisure facilities of his description and whereabouts. This was
undertaken by the Police. When it became apparent that the man was behaving
inappropriately and visiting specific leisure facilities, his licence was immediately
revoked and he was returned to custody before any sexual offences were
committed.

¾ A 51 year old male served an eight year term of imprisonment for serious assaults
against females. The man was subject to rigorous licence conditions, supervised
by the Probation Service following release from prison.

A series of MAPPP meetings were held and as part of the risk management
strategy it was agreed that the Police and Probation Service would undertake joint
interviews with the man. This led to contact being established with a number of
individuals with whom he had established a relationship. They were clearly
advised of the man’s background and potential risks in order to prevent any
further victims. In addition, prior to any job interviews, the offender’s prospective
employer was contacted and visited by Police and Probation to ensure they were
fully informed of the man’s background. This approach was supported by effective
liaison with the local employment service.

As part of our approach to informing the public of the work undertaken in their
behalf, a Public Protection Media Protocol has been established in Cumbria. The
protocol allows effective liaison with representatives of the local press to ensure
relevant and appropriate information is shared when required with the press.

The launch of the Joint Arrangements Protocol in March 2002 provided the press
with a significant opportunity to support the process of informing the public of
this work. The event was covered by BBC Radio Cumbria, Border Television
News and four regional newspapers
iv. SEX OFFENDER REGISTRATION
The Police carry out an initial assessment of an offender required to register under
the terms of the Sex Offenders Act 97. Those assessed as posing a High or Very
High Risk are referred to a Multi-Agency assessment within the Mutli-Agency
Public Protection Arrangements. Recently a database known as Project Visor has
been implemented. This will improve information gathering and allow areas to
monitor and improve performance. It is also an effective investigative tool as it
provides details on offenders, their descriptions and past offences on a national
basis.

Home visits are conducted on all registered Sex Offenders at regular intervals,
the frequency of visits is determined by the risk assessment. Many of the visits
are done jointly with Probation Officers. Where it is part of the risk management
plan, surveillance of offenders will be undertaken using Police patrols, Closed
Circuit TV and occasionally by disclosing details of known offenders to members
of the community for that person or group to assist in monitoring an offender’s
behaviour.

All surveillance is properly authorised under the Regulation of Investigatory

Powers Act 2000 to balance pubic protection against the offenders Human Rights.
v. THE STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT OF MAPPA –
WHO OVERSEES THE WORK?
The Strategic Management Board for Cumbria meets every two months. The
Board works to objectives set within the Business Plan for the year and
undertakes to monitor the activity of local risk assessment processes and the
proper conduct of Multi-Agency Public Protection Meetings.

The representatives at the Board are committed to ensuring that agreed protocols
are followed and implemented across all agencies.

As a result of membership of the Strategic Management Board, HMP Haverigg

now has in place Public Protection Protocols and MAPPA that directly link into
public protection processes within the community and with all other prisons. HMP
Haverigg has been instrumental in raising standards of public protection within the
Prison Service nationally which has resulted in greater regional and central co-
ordination.

During the year the Police and Probation Service have carefully considered the
need to resource the work of the Strategic Management Board. It has been
decided by the Chief Constable and Chief Officer of Cumbria Probation Area that
specific staff resources will be allocated during 2003/04 to administer and co-
ordinate the work of MAPPA. This will take the form of a designated Public
Protection Manager and MAPPA Registrar. This approach has been supported by
the Local Criminal Justice Board for Cumbria.

In the North West, Police, Probation and H.M.Prison Service 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 ad
development of 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
provide an opportunity to inform delegates of national issues and to share best
practice at a regional level.
vi. VICTIMS – WHO IS SUPPORTED BY THIS
WORK?
Section 69 of the Criminal Justice and Court Services Act 2000 created a
statutory duty for the Probation Service to make contact with the victims of violent
or sexual offences where the offender was sentenced to between 12 months and
4 years imprisonment. A system already existed for victims of offenders serving
more than 4 years.

The Victims Charter and National Standards for the supervision of offenders place
specific additional responsibilities upon the Probation Service to either deliver
services directly to victims and their families or to take account of their interests in
work with offenders. The achievement of these responsibilities is a priority for the
Service and the Multi-Agency Public Protection Strategic Management Board.
The performance of the Service is monitored and evaluated on an annual basis in
regard to work with victims.

Victim Contact Officers within the Probation Service make written contact with
relevant victims, their family or partner to offer to visit and explain details about
the offenders sentence or issues surrounding a possible release date.

Increasingly the work of Victim Contact Officers influences the work of Multi-
Agency Public Protection Meetings and this leads to action to protect victims as
part of a risk management strategy.

Information provided to Victim Contact Officers by victims, and taken account of

within risk strategies, has included the following actions during the year:-

¾ Additional Security and domestic alarms being provided in some

circumstances
¾ Restricting an offenders movements when released on Licence
¾ Providing accommodation for offenders that provides 24 hour supervision and
surveillance
¾ Ensuring that the views and experiences of victims are reflected in work
undertaken with offenders to challenge their thinking and behaviour
¾ Disclosing information to vulnerable individuals about an offender in order to
prevent them becoming a victim

Victim Contact work is quite different to the Victim Support Scheme which can be
contacted at Victim Support Scheme, Lime House, Wetheral, Cumbria, CA4 8EW
on 01228 562638.
vii. STATISTICAL INFORMATION
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 before that date, unless they
were still under supervision or in custody. This means that the numbers will
continue to go up for several years until a peak is reached.

Population figure for your administration area as supplied by the last census in 2001 491040

Using your submitted RSO figure and the census figure shown above, your RSO 42
per 100,00 population is:

i. The number of registered sex offenders on 31 March 2003 208

ii. The number of sex offenders having a registration requirement who were
either cautioned or convicted for breaches of the requirement, between 1 2
April 2002 and 31 March 2003

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

(a) The total number of Sex Offenders Orders applied for 2

(b) The total number granted 0
(c) The total number not granted or pending 2

iv. The number of Restraining Orders issued by the Courts between 1 April 2002 0
and 31 March 2003 for offenders currently managed within MAPPA

v. The number of violent and other sexual offenders considered under MAPPA 437
during the year 1 April and 31 March 2003 (as defined by section 68 [3], [4]
and [5])

vi. The number of “other offenders” dealt with under MAPPA during the year 1 2
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:
22
(a) MAPPP – registered sex offenders 18
(b) MAPPP – violent and other sex offenders 2
(c) MAPPP – other offenders

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 5

(b) who were returned to custody for breach of a Restraining Order or Sex 0
Offender Order
(c) charged with a serious sexual or violent offence 0