POLICE in Lancashire have lost track of five sex offenders – one of whom has been on the run for seven years.

The figures were revealed under freedom of information laws, although Lancashire Police refused to name the missing perverts over fears of vigilante attacks or because the information was exempt under data protection laws.

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One has been missing since 2008, another disappeared in 2009, two in 2012, and one in 2013.

Labour MP for Hyndburn and Haslingden, Graham Jones, said: “The numbers of police officers and their capability to deal with these issues have been reduced.

“It’s alarming and there’s simply no way they can do their job properly under the circumstances they are being put in.

“And now they are preparing to lose another 600 officers in the next round of cuts so it’s inevitable that things like this will happen.”

A spokesman for Lancashire Police said: “We regularly work with the media to reach out to the public in order to locate missing sex offenders when appropriate.

“Each case is dealt with on its merits, as we have to balance the obvious benefits of reaching a wide audience who can assist us locate offenders, against the risks posed by such actions.

“For example, there can be a heightened risk of vigilante action against the offender, who in effect is ‘outed’ as a sexual offender overtly by the police, his address and his close family or associates.

“Despite this we have had a great deal of success via media outlets in tracing offenders. In the most part, the offenders have seen the appeals themselves and quickly hand themselves into police.

“Most of our currently outstanding sex offenders are known to be out of the country.”

“They are however regularly reviewed to ascertain if this is still the case.”

Criminals on the Sex Offender Register – which contains the details of anybody convicted, cautioned or released from prison for a sex offence since 1997 – must tell police if they move or change their name.

They must also inform police if they are planning to spend seven days or more away from their home, including trips abroad. Failure to notify the police is a criminal offence.Every police force in the UK was sent a freedom of information request to find out the number of missing registered sex offenders.

Forces which provided figures, for February or early March, said the information was ‘dynamic’ and will change as arrests are made or new cases come to light through ‘proactive intelligence-led policing or routine visits to registered offenders’.