40 convicted sex criminals on the run from Midlands police

More than 40 convicted sex offenders from the West Midlands and Staffordshire are on the run and wanted by police – but forces will not reveal their identities because doing so would infringe their data protection rights.

Some of them are believed to have moved abroad but others could still be in the region.

There are almost 4,000 sex offenders being managed by police experts from the West Midlands, Staffordshire and West Mercia forces. Of those, 42 have gone underground.

The Express & Star submitted a Freedom of Information request to the three forces and asked for the names, ages and addresses of missing offenders. But, as part of their responses to that request, both the West Midland and West Mercia forces said requests for personal information "would breach the third party's data protection rights".

They added that the release of personal data could also be "useful intelligence" to those offenders who are on the run and could result in them staying underground and committing further offences.

South Staffordshire MP Gavin Williamson said today: "It is barking mad that the details of people that should be monitored by the police are not revealed because often the public's eyes and ears can be the best resource for the police."

All registered sex offenders who have been convicted have to inform the police whenever they want to change address, job or any other issue that would affect their personal life. But some disappear without telling the authorities, breaching the conditions of their early release.

Staffordshire Police has five missing sex offenders from the 812 they manage.

The West Midlands force has 34 missing sex offenders from the 3,186 it manages. Six are believed to be abroad. The West Mercia force has three missing offenders.

By Crime Correspondent Shaun Jepson