Surrey

Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements

Annual Report 2005-6
Foreword

M
aking our communities safer and reducing re-offending is our highest priority
and one of our biggest challenges. That is why the work undertaken through
these multi-agency public protection arrangements (MAPPA) is so important.
The supervision and management of sexual and violent offenders who pose the
highest risk of serious harm, whether in the community or in custody, is complex
and challenging and is an aspect of public service where the public rightly expects all
reasonable action to be taken.

Although we have made significant progress in the last five years with the development
of MAPPA across England and Wales, the review this year of a number of tragic
incidents where people have been murdered or seriously injured reminded us of the
importance of reviewing performance, improving practice and learning lessons.  It is
vital that these tasks are undertaken by the probation, police and prison services, as
well as by those other agencies that contribute to the assessment and management of
offenders. The publication of MAPPA Business Plans by each Area in this year’s annual
reports offers a helpful and necessary programme of local development and review and
must lead to enhanced practice. It will be essential that this progress is transparent and
shared with local communities.

In addition to this, however, it is important that no opportunity is missed to consider

other measures that will further enhance public safety. That is why we are undertaking
the Child Sex Offender Review, to look at how a particular group of offenders, who
provoke anxiety for many, are best managed in the community. The review is consulting
a wide range of practitioners and key stakeholders including the MAPPA lay advisers,
and will report around the end of the year.

Finally, in commending this report to you, I want to take the opportunity to thank all
those involved locally in working with sexual and violent offenders, or in ensuring that
these arrangements are fit for purpose. Where MAPPA is working well, it is based on
maintaining high professional standards and effective multi-agency collaboration in
the delivery of robust risk management plans. While it is not possible to eliminate risk
entirely, where all reasonable action is taken the risk of further serious harm can be
reduced to a minimum and fewer victims will be exposed to repeat offending.

Gerry Sutcliffe MP
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State
for Criminal Justice and Offender Management

An overview of the first five years of the MAPPA by the Responsible

Authority National Steering Group is available on the National Probation
Service website

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Collaboration and scrutiny
- the hallmark of success

T
his is the fifth annual report on the Multi-Agency Public Protection
Arrangements (MAPPA) for Surrey. The work being undertaken to improve
the safety of communities is vitally important; this report illustrates how
effective collaboration between criminal justice agencies and other key partners
demonstrates public protection in action.

In recent months a handful of cases nationally resulting in very tragic

circumstances, has raised the profile of our work with offenders and highlighted
the need to sharpen our approach in reducing the risk of further offending.
Unfortunately the public only hears about those who re-offend but we hope this
report goes some way to restore public confidence and allows us to share our
successes.

Although it is never possible to completely eliminate the risk posed by dangerous

offenders, MAPPA is helping to ensure that fewer people are re-victimised. There
are numerous examples of where MAPPA has made a difference and afforded
a level of protection which would not have been in the reach of one single
agency.

Surrey is fortunate in having the benefit of lay advisers to offer independent

scrutiny of the MAPPA and help shape future initiatives. As members of the
public, these lay advisers represent a committed group of people who are now
helping the statutory agencies to oversee the work being undertaken through
the MAPPA.

We hope you will find this annual report to be useful, informative and reassuring
and that it demonstrates effective multi-agency working in Surrey.

Karen Page, Chief Officer, Surrey Probation Area

Colin McConnell, Area Manager, HM Prison Service

Robert Quick, Chief Constable, Surrey Police

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Chair’s report

T
he Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) have been in place for
five years. The structure has grown significantly within that time and has moved
from managing the risk posed by sex offenders into the growing area of managing
other dangerous offenders, many of whom suffer from mental health problems.

In relation to the latter, their actions can lead to tragic consequences, as has been
evidenced by the media over the past year. This, inevitably, leads to questions being
asked of all agencies about their knowledge of registered offenders and the plans which
are in place to reduce the risk of re-offending. The multi-agency members of the Surrey
Strategic Management Board (SMB) have, over the past year, through a number of
actions, looked continually to strengthen the Surrey MAPPA process in order to reduce
the risk in the county.

To that end, the board has developed an audit process to review the individual
management and action plans drawn up to manage the risk posed by offenders and
it has sought to identify areas for improvement. Additionally, processes have been
revised and training for staff identified to ensure the tools are available to manage
offenders effectively.

There has been a significant strengthening of the SMB’s membership to ensure that a
representative group, who are influential within their own agency, can fully support the
MAPPA. The SMB has also forged links with other groups and boards such as the new
Local Children’s Safeguarding Board and the Local Criminal Justice Board. Both have
members who now sit on the SMB and report back to their respective boards. There
are similar arrangements in respect of domestic abuse and adult protection as well as
the new mental health trust structure. These links, plus the essential presence of our
knowledgeable lay advisors, assist the Surrey MAPPA to continue to develop and to
build on the very good record that exists in Surrey in respect of our ability to manage
these offenders.

This year, for the first time, SMBs have been required to produce a business plan.
Surrey’s is set out on Page 9. It is aligned with the national business plan and will,
therefore, support the local and national arrangements in order to strengthen the
overall structure. Despite Surrey remaining one of the safest counties, with a relatively-
small number of offenders who pose a high risk of serious harm, the SMB must and will
continue to ensure that they are managed in the most effective way.

Brian Boxall
Chair
Surrey Strategic Management Board

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An overview of Multi Agency Public
Protection Arrangements in Surrey

T
he Multi Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) are designed
to protect the public and manage the risk from violent, sexual and other
dangerous offenders.

In Surrey this is achieved by the Responsible Authorities - police, probation and prison
services - working together with other agencies involved in public protection to assess
and manage the risks posed by sexual and violent offenders living in the community.

Who poses a risk of harm to others?

Sexual and violent offenders live in all communities and are of no single age, gender,
ethnicity or position in society. What is common is that the offences they commit
are unacceptable, often resulting in significant physical or emotional damage. Their
identification and conviction is therefore a priority.

Once convicted not all offenders go on to commit further offences. However some do.
We therefore need to identify those offenders posing a high and very high risk of further
serious harm and to take action to prevent them ruining the lives of others.

Who needs protection ?

Sexual and violent offenders often target those whom they perceive as vulnerable either
because of age, gender or social circumstances. The vast majority of sexual offending
is committed by people who are known to the victim either as family members, friends
or acquaintances.

Identifying people at risk, either known or possible future victims, is key to the public
protection strategy of Surrey.

Four principles

MAPPA operates to four principles.

1: Identify those who may pose a risk of harm

2: Share relevant information about them

3: Assess the nature and extent of that risk

4: Find ways to manage that risk effectively, protecting victims and reducing further
harm.
Continued on Page 6

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MAPPA overview cont

Who runs Surrey MAPPA ?

Surrey Police, Surrey Probation and HM Prison Service form the Responsible Authority
in Surrey to develop and manage the Arrangements. They have primary responsibility
for protecting the public and work together through the MAPPA to fulfill that aim.

Surrey Police supervises all Registered Sex Offenders and also monitors those
suspected of sexual offending and some violent offenders.

Surrey Probation supervises offenders on prison licences and court orders. Both
contain control conditions which when breached can result in a swift return to prison or
court - a key tool in protecting the public.

HM Prison Service works closely with probation and police to identify offenders likely
to commit further serious harm on release so that work can be done during sentence
to reduce the risk. Prisons provide valuable information about the offender’s behaviour
and progress and their likely risks on release. They can also provide vital intelligence
about contacts which can then be used to strengthen community risk management.

Offenders of three categories…

MAPPA operates three categories of offenders

Category 1: Registered sex offenders;

Category 2: Offenders who have been jailed for a year or more for committing violent
of sexual offences listed in Sch 15 of the 2003 Criminal Justice Act;

Category 3: Others likely to cause serious harm through offending.

are managed under three levels of supervision

Within these categories and depending on the risk assessment, offenders are then
separated into three levels of MAPPA supervision. The levels refer not only to level of
risk but also to the complexity of the offender management required.

Level 3 offenders are usually assessed as having a high or very high probability of
committing further serious harm. They create situations needing senior management
of agencies involved to co-ordinate work or authorise extra resources such as
accommodation or surveillance. All cases causing public concern or attracting media
attention are dealt with at this level.

Level 2 offenders may also have a high or very high probability of further
serious harm needing local inter-agency coordinated management but not the
involvement of senior managers.
Continued on page 7 opposite

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MAPPA overview cont

Level 1 offenders are dealt with by police or probation alone although practitioners in
both services may liaise informally. Level 1 offenders are usually assessed as having a
low or medium probability of committing further serious harm but do not need formal
joint working between the agencies.

Any agency can refer into MAPPA as long as the offender falls into one of the MAPPA
categories although police and probation usually make the majority of referrals.

The work of MAPPA at Level 2 and 3 is done by inter-agency case conferences known
as panels or Multi Agency Public Protection Panels (MAPPPs). Level 2 panels are held
at least monthly in all Surrey’s police divisions; Level 3s are called when they are
needed.

Sharing information

Once an offender has been referred, it is the responsibility of the MAPPA agencies to
undertake a rigorous risk assessment and devise a management plan to minimise the
risk of re-offending. When formulating the management plan, information from all the
agencies will be considered such as previous offending, assessment of any treatment
programmes and current risk levels. Once a plan has been agreed it will be reviewed
on a regular basis with the decisions and actions recorded.

Warning the public

One of the tools available in control of risk is disclosure of information to warn the public
of risk. It may range from giving information to individuals in organisations –such as
church leaders - to warning a potential victim. In extreme cases wider disclosure to
groups within the community may be considered. In all cases care is taken to balance
the right of the individual against the risks posed by the offending behaviour.

Who needs to cooperate ?

Various community agencies have a Duty to Co-operate (DtC) with the MAPPA under
the 2003 Criminal Justice Act. They include:-

Local Authority Childrens’ and adults’ services who have a primary responsibility
for the protection of children and vulnerable adults. They may well have been involved
at the early stages of an investigation involving a MAPPA offender. They provide valuable
information on family networks and risk assessments within families.

Health services including forensic mental health teams. They have a specialist public
protection officer who acts as a single point of contact for them. They are responsible
for the assessment and treatment of offenders requiring psychiatric treatment, including
offenders who are mentally disordered and have a personality disorder. This
Continued on Page 8

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MAPPA overview continued

includes those who are community based and those managed in secure residential
facilities.

Local authority housing departments and Registered Social Landlords who can
provide housing – so often key to controlling risk – or who may need information from
the MAPPA to protect other tenants.

Youth Offending Teams who supervise offenders under 18. They provide a full range
of services to the young people who have offended and offer direct services to victims
of youth crimes.

Who makes sure it works ?

Strategic Management Boards (SMBs) are responsible for overseeing the MAPPA .
The Surrey SMB is chaired by a senior police officer. It includes representatives of the
other Responsible Authority agencies, the DtC agencies and two members of the public
to act as lay advisers.

The board meets at least four times a year. Its function is to make sure local
arrangements are effective and consistent with national guidance. The board also
audits the work of MAPPA panels.

What is the role of the lay advisers ?

Lay advisers have been asked to act in the role of “critical friend”. As well as
contributing to SMB meetings, they take part in audits, help produce the business
plan and annual report and attend MAPPA panels to observe practice. Surrey
pioneered the role of the lay advisers.

Serious harm: According to the 2003 Criminal Justice Act, it is death or serious
personal physical or psychological injury. The Probation service also defines it as
injury from which it is impossible or difficult to recover.

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Surrey Strategic Management Board
business plan for 2006-07
Main aims: Protect the public from serious harm: reduce re-offending;
promote the benefits of joint working; increase public confidence.

Objectives for each business area

1: Developmental
1.1: Review the MAPPA Administration and Coordination provision with regard to the
National Objectives
1.2: Continue to review the core membership of the SMB against key organisational
changes and invite special advisers to board meetings when necessary
1.3: Agree and complete protocols across all agencies with supporting processes for
monitoring and review
1.4: Continue the refinement of processes for accurately determining thresholds and
referring cases within the MAPPA
1.5: Look at implementing a process for Serious Case Reviews within the MAPPA
1.6: Ensure compliance with National Guidance

2: Monitoring and evaluation

2.1: Ensure quality and relevant information is provided to the Board and continually
reviewed
2.2: Monitor actions from Serious Case Reviews and Serious Further Offences within
the MAPPA
2.3: Undertake bi-annual audit and review meetings and develop and review a
framework to improve audit practice
2.4: Monitor and review processes to ensure victim focus of the MAPPA activities

3: Communications and partnerships

3.1: Develop a communication strategy to increase public awareness of the MAPPA in
Surrey, to include identifying and increasing public confidence in joint working.
Also to include exploring joint communication plans with other responsible
agencies.
3.2: Develop formal reporting links with other public protection bodies
3.3: Prepare and publish an annual report to satisfy statutory requirements and use
as more general information document

4: Training
4.1: Facilitate induction/awareness training for SMB members as appropriate
4.2: Ensure dissemination of legislative changes and guidance to SMB and MAPPA staff
4.3: Implement training previously identified for the MAPPA staff by SMB
4.4: Continue to identify, organise and implement training needs for all the MAPPA staff

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A measure of success

T
he nature of the business of public protection means that the data that is readily
available for us to work with are the recorded instances where individuals have
re-offended and/or caused serious harm. As such we are always dealing with
the recorded failures of the system rather than the successes so it is important to
recognise this when considering the MAPPA statistics.

Given the number of offenders currently supervised by the Responsible Authorities within Surrey
MAPPA, the key statistic this year is that out of several hundred individuals supervised in the
community over the year, 22 were sent back to custody for a breach of their licence conditions
and, fortunately, of those none was charged with committing serious harm. Whilst the primary
responsibility for re-offending lies squarely with the individual being supervised, it is to be hoped
that these figures are also an indication of the effectiveness of Surrey MAPPA in protecting the
public.

Registered Sex Offenders

As with most areas, the largest group of offenders managed within Surrey MAPPA are Registered
Sex Offenders. The total number of Registered Sex Offenders under police supervision rose from
371 at the end of March 2005 to 390 at the end of March 2006. This was partly as a result of
some record sorting between police forces and transfers of Registered Sex Offenders in and out
of the county.

From 2003 to 2005 Surrey saw an increase in caseload of Registered Sex Offenders in line
with the national average of around 16% each year. This was mainly as a result of the new
registration conditions set up since the 2003 Sex Offences Act, which meant that more sex
offenders were entering the system than leaving the system due to longer registration periods
given in the past.

In 2005-2006, however, the increase in the number of Registered Sex Offenders, at year-end,
is much smaller at approximately 5%. It is perhaps too early to suggest that these expected
annual increases are beginning to balance out.

As required, we have reported the number of Registered Sex Offenders in each police division
of the county. As would be expected, the figures show offenders relatively evenly spread across
the county with the differences reflecting the varying sizes of the populations of the divisions.

Tightened rules

In accordance with Home Office requirements for this year to focus the highest level of
supervision, Level 3 panels, on the “critical few”, Surrey SMB made adjustments to the referral
process to ensure best use of senior management in the process of assessing and managing
risk around offenders assessed with either high or very high risk of causing serious harm or
public concern. This has resulted in significantly fewer Level 3 meetings over 2005-2006 than
in previous years.

Partly as a result of the above process, but mainly with the inclusion of new referrals of primarily
violent offenders to MAPPA since the beginning of 2005, the number of offenders managed at
Level 2 panels rose respectively. In turn the number of Level 2 panel meetings involving multi
agency staff doubled. Surrey SMB is aware of the caseload pressures on the staff involved with
MAPPA in the county and continues to monitor to ensure that offenders are managed at the
appropriate supervision level under Home Office guidelines.

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MAPPA Statistics No. of offenders

2004-05 2005-06

i: Number of registered sex offenders on 31 March (Cat.1) Total

79
A Division (North Surrey)
108
B Division (East Surrey)
118
C Division (West Surrey)
85
D Division (North West Surrey)
371 390
Total

ii: Number of sex offenders having a registration requirement who were either
cautioned or convicted for breaches of the requirement between 1 April and 31
March 9 6

iii: Sex Offences Prevention Orders applied for and gained between 1
April and 31 March

(a) Total number of orders applied for 11 11

(b) Number granted 7 11

(c) Number not granted 4 0

iv: Number of violent and other sexual offenders considered under MAPPA during
the year 1 April and 31 March (Cat. 2) 52 95

v: Number of other offenders dealt with under MAPPA assessed as likely to cause
serious harm (Cat. 3) 1 April -31 March 5 16

vi: Number of offenders dealt with by MAPPA level 3 panels by MAPPA

category

(a) Registered sex offenders (Cat. 1) 10 2

(b) Violent offenders and other sex offenders (Cat. 2) 9 0

(c) Other “serious harm” offenders Cat 3) 2 1

vii: Number of offenders in MAPPA returned to custody

(a) For breach of licence 14 19

(b) For breach of Restraining Order or Sex Offences Prevention Order 2 3

(c): Charged with serious sexual or violent offence 1 0

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Contacts and resources
MAPPA Responsible Authority agencies
Surrey Probation Area:
Head office: Bridge House, Flambard Way. Godalming GU7 1JB: 01483 860191: Director of
Operations; Public Protection Manager; Victim Liaison Unit; Contact for details of Probation
Centres at Guildford, Woking, Redhill, Staines.

Surrey Police
Headquarters: Mount Browne, Sandy Lane, Guildford, GU3 1HG: 01483 482718
Public Protection and Investigation Unit and MAPPA Adviser: 12 Munstead View, Mount
Browne, 01483 482718 also for contact details of divisional sex offender Registration and
Assessment Officers at Walton (A);Caterham (B);Farnham (C); Camberley (D).

H.M. Prison Service

Surrey and Sussex Area Office: 2nd Floor, White Rose Court, White Rose Lane, Woking,
GU22 7PJ: 02072 172538

Other agencies represented on MAPPA Strategic Management Board

Youth Justice Service: Churchill House, Mayford Green, Woking, GU22 0PW: 01483 517000
Children and Families' Service: Fairmount House, Bull Hill, Leatherhead, KT22 7AH: 01372
833000
Safeguarding Children Board: As Children and Families' Service: 01372 833336
Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Trust: Oaklands House, Coulsdon Road, Caterham
CR3 5YA

Other agencies and services

Surrey Women’s Aid and Domestic Violence Helpline: 01483 776822
Stop It Now! helpline: 0808 1000 900
Lucy Faithfull Foundation and Wolvercote Centre: 46–48 East Street, Epsom. KT17 1HB:
01372 847160

Victim Support area schemes

East Surrey: Reigate Police Station, 79 Reigate Road, Reigate, RH2 0RY: 01737 766323.
Epsom and District: The Old Town Hall, The Parade, Epsom, KT18 5AG: 01372 743650.
Esher and District: Claygate Centre, Elm Road, Cobham, KT10 0EH: 01372 470690.
Guildford: Ash Police Office, 120 Ash Street, Ash, GU12 6LL: 01252 326052.
Mole Valley: Dorking Police Station, Moores Road, Dorking, RH4 2BQ: 01306 875866.
North West Surrey: 15a Monument Way East, Woking, GU21 5LY: 01483 770457.
Runnymede and Elmbridge: Addlestone Police Station, Garfield Road, Addlestone, KT15
2NW; 01932 8551100.
Spelthorne: The Community Link Centre, Knowle Green, Staines, TW18 1XA; 01784 446202.
Waverley: Farnham Police Station, Longbridge, Farnham, GU9 7PZ: 01252 573351.

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