THE company which employed a door-to-door salesman who was jailed for groping a pensioner today insisted it takes security seriously.

The move came as Home Secretary and Blackburn MP Jack Straw asked for a report into the case of Trevor Williams, 32, who was given a 31-month jail sentence by Burnley Crown Court for a sex attack on a 65-year-old woman while he worked as a door-to-door salesman for Betterware.

Williams, formerly of Lonsdale Street, Accrington, had a previous conviction for a sex offence although his record was never checked by the company, for which Williams worked as a distributor between January and April last year, when the offence took place.

Today a spokesman for the Birmingham-based company, which employs more than 10,000 distributors on a part-time basis, insisted it took its recruitment policy seriously but had to adhere to data protection rules.

Police have explained that only certain organisations such as schools or those which work with children can carry out direct checks with police over criminal records.

But they said that companies can ask prospective employees to provide a copy of their records from police and this would have ensured the conviction came to light.

The company spokesman said: "Betterware Limited takes this matter very seriously and can confirm that all Betterware distributors, who are self-employed, are interviewed prior to representing the company.

As far as the company can ascertain Trevor Williams provided a false name when applying to represent the company.

"Betterware takes recruitment very seriously but, like other companies in this field, must adhere to data protection and human rights legislation during all stages of the recruitment process."

Cosmetics company Avon, which employs in excess of 160,000 sales people, said it too did not carry out police checks although employed the "vast majority" of its representatives in their own neighbourhood.

A spokesman said: "Most of the representatives are women and the vast majority are hired in their own neighbourhood so are known to their neighbours, selling mainly to friends and family.

"We undertake some checks to ascertain they are who they say they are and live at the address given but we do not make police checks."

Hyndburn MP Greg Pope said yesterday checks should be made but conceded companies faced difficulties that "need to be overcome."

Today Mr Straw said he would consider a report into the case before considering the issue.

A Lancashire Police spokesman said because of the Data Protection Act no employers were allowed to ask police about a potential employees criminal record. Only certain organisations such as schools or places where they work with children and young people can do automatic checks and if businesses wanted to check a potential employees criminal record the onus would be on the individual to arrange that with the police. The spokesman added that had Betterware done this the sexual conviction would have come to light.