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Murder

Closing a "Ridiculous" Legal Loophole to Save Lives

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

Grieving Lisa, the mother of 21-year-old Libby Squire, who was murdered by a prolific sex offender in 2019, is demanding a change in the law to close a loophole that often allows men who commit indecent exposure to avoid being put on the sex offenders register. This loophole has been criticized as outdated, with ministers and experts agreeing that it can lead to violent offenses, including rape and murder. A landmark Bill making sure offenders are held accountable will return to the Commons, aiming to bolster protection for victims and make it easier to prosecute offenders with a broader range of motivations.

Key Takeaways:

  • Under current law, prosecutors need to prove someone aimed to cause "alarm or distress" to get a conviction for exposure, which can result in offenders being charged with outraging public decency instead, avoiding being added to the sex offenders register.
  • Lisa has called for jail terms for those convicted of non-contact sex offences like exposure and voyeurism and compulsory treatment programmes to stop their behavior escalating.
  • Data from 37 of the 43 police forces in England and Wales show a 15% rise in indecent exposure cases reported to police since 2019, while arrests have increased by around 35%.
  • Almost 250 men found guilty of indecent exposure were subsequently found guilty of rape in five years, according to Labour's Policing Minister Dame Diana Johnson.
  • A National Police Chiefs' Council spokesman said sexual exposure is an incredibly serious crime, and they have been working hard to improve their response to sexual exposure and other non-contact sexual offences.
  • The Home Office has commissioned research into the link between non-contact sex offences and violent crimes, following a recommendation from the Angiolini Inquiry.

Statistics:

  • 15% rise in indecent exposure cases reported to police since 2019
  • 35% increase in arrest rates for indecent exposure
  • 8,878 indecent exposure cases reported to police in 2024, resulting in 1,894 arrests
  • 1,405 arrests for indecent exposure in 2019
  • Almost 250 men found guilty of indecent exposure were subsequently found guilty of rape in five years

Sources:

  • The Mirror
  • Labour's Policing Minister Dame Diana Johnson
  • National Police Chiefs' Council
  • The Home Office
  • The Angiolini Inquiry Report

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