AT LEAST 20 sex offenders have successfully appealed to be removed from the Sex Offenders Register in the past three years across the county, the Wiltshire Times has learned.

Since 2013 three rapists and 11 child abusers have been told they no longer had to register with the police, a Freedom of Information request has revealed.

They included offenders who had convictions for sexually abusing boys and girls, incest, taking indecent images of children as well as one offender, removed just this year in 2016, who was convicted for the sexual assault of a boy under the age of 16.

Wiltshire Police spokesman Katie Bond said: “All applications to be removed from the Sex Offenders Register are rigorously assessed against the ongoing and future risk that individual presents to the public.

“We will look at whether they have shown remorse for their offending and whether they have engaged with treatment and counselling programmes.

“The criteria that will be assessed could include the age of the offender, whether they have or are likely to have access to potential victims or how long has passed since their index offence.”

The Home Office has issued guidance stating offenders should only be removed if it is no longer necessary for them to be registered to protect the public from sexual harm.

Other offences included an indecent assault on a female family member under 16 and another man, removed from the register in 2015, convicted for the rape and sexual assault of a woman.

“Officers will also assess whether triggers for previous offending still exist and whether the individual is now within a stable environment with a good support network,” added Ms Bond.

“The Sex Offenders Register exists to enable the police to manage sex offenders and prevent future offending,” added Ms Bond.

“Properly assessing these applications allows the police and other agencies to concentrate on those offenders who pose the highest risk to the public.

“The legislation quite rightly allows for sex offenders to apply to be taken off the register in certain circumstances.

“However, a previous conviction does not go away and would appear in any Disclosure and Barring Services checks.”