10 sex offenders in Barrhead
Published 6 Apr 2012 12:30
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SUPPORT: Hugh Henry believes people should know about sex offenders
THERE are TEN registered sex offenders living in the G78 Barrhead postcode area according to new figures.
The fact was revealed via a Freedom of Information request - but it does not reveal who the offenders are, exactly what they have done or where they stay.
Despite this Hugh Henry MSP told the Barrhead News he thinks it is right information on the number of sex offenders living in the area should be made available to the public.
He said: "I don't have a problem with information being released and I do think it is incumbent on police and social work departments to make sure that every possible step is taken to protect the public when a sex offender is released.
"I understand people can't be held indefinitely but at the same time we need to make sure every necessary step is taken to protect the public.
"It's not always the volume, it's sometimes down to the danger an individual poses and that's where the authorities need to make sure they are doing everything that they are responsible for."
Barrhead's figure is much larger than the neighbouring communities of Newton Mearns and Clarkston.
In the G77 Newton Mearns postcode area, which has roughly the same 23,500 population as Barrhead, there are only two registered sex offenders.
Among the 24,000 residents living in the G76 Clarkston/Eaglesham area there are also just two registered sex offenders.
In other towns of similar size to Barrhead there were contrasting numbers.
In Renfrewshire there are five sex offenders living in the Johnstone postcode area which has a population of 22,000.
Dumbarton, which has a population of 21,000 has 20 registered offenders, while Hillhead in Glasgow, with a population of 23,000 has just five.
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