Sarah’s Law

• What was the campaign about/why’d it start?


  • Sarah Payne was abducted in 2000 and murdered by Roy Whiting (sex offender).
  • Sarah and her siblings were allowed to carry on playing at a beach whilst their parents went on a walk and would meet them back home. She got abducted whilst walking back with her siblings by a field.
• Key parties involved.

  • Sarah’s parents started a campaign to have information about known sex offenders made available to the public near the area.
  • Sunday newspaper and News of the World supported this action for a change in law.
  • There were paper produced name and pictures of 50 people who were sex offenders. However, the government refused to agree to these demands.
• How it altered people’s views and changed perception.

  • Sarah’s parents continued with their campaign and, when another young girl was kidnapped and sexually assaulted, the government began to change its mind.
  • A minister was sent to the USA to see the workings on Megan’s law, a U.S. policy that allows parents access to information on paedophiles living in their community.
• How it tried to change policy/laws and the methods.

  • The 2008 pilot scheme was introduced in 4 areas in the UK to allow parents to make enquiries about named individuals. The police would then reveal the details to the parents.
  • In 2011, the pilot scheme became a successful scheme and extended to the whole of England and Wales. This was known as the sex offenders Disclosure scheme.
• Was it successful?

  • Yes.
  • More than 700 paedophiles were unmasked using Sarah’s law.
  • Since April 2011, 5 child sex offenders a week get identified.
  • Home Office Ministers declared it being successful.