West Yorkshire Area

Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements

Annual Report 2002-3
Foreword

As the recently appointed Minister with responsibility for

the MAPPA, I am pleased to introduce this, the second,
annual MAPPA report. It is clear that in the last year
(2002/3) the multi-agency public protection
arrangements (the MAPPA) continued to play an
important role in what remains one of this government’s
highest priorities – the protection of the public from
dangerous offenders.

As someone with many years experience of working in

the field of child protection, I am particularly impressed
by the important contribution the MAPPA are making to
strengthen collaboration between agencies at a local
level where the focus is on the dangerous offender.
These improvements must, however, impact on the
protection of children. As the tragic death of Victoria
Climbie showed, an effective multi-agency partnership
is crucial and the MAPPA are an important element.

To ensure greater consistency in the MAPPA across

the 42 Areas of England and Wales, and to prepare for
the implementation of measures contained in the
Criminal Justice Bill, we published the MAPPA
Guidance in April. Building on good practice, that
Guidance clarified the structure of the operational
arrangements as well as the importance of formal
review and monitoring – of which this annual report is a
vital part. The Criminal Justice Bill will strengthen the
MAPPA in two ways. First, it will make the involvement
of other agencies part of the statutory framework.
Second, it will introduce the involvement of lay people –
those unconnected with day-to-day operation of the
MAPPA – in reviewing and monitoring the MAPPA.
Annual reports and this new lay involvement show the
Government’s commitment to explaining how the often
sensitive and complex work of public protection is
undertaken.
The Government is also strengthening the protection of
the public with other measures in the Criminal Justice
Bill. They include new sentences for dangerous
offenders to prevent their release if they continue to be
dangerous. Additionally, the Sexual Offences Bill will
tighten up sex offender registration, introduce a new
offence of ‘grooming’, and enable sex offender orders
to be imposed on violent offenders who pose a risk of
causing serious sexual harm – thereby extending sex
offender registration to them.

I commend this report to you and congratulate all the

agencies and individuals who have contributed to the
achievement of the MAPPA locally in your local Area.

Paul Goggins
Parliamentary Under-secretary for Community and Custodial
provision in the Home Office
The National Picture

This section of the report draws attention to wider

context of the operation and development of the Multi-
Agency Public Protection Arrangements (the MAPPA).
The most important work undertaken within the MAPPA
is done locally, led by the police and probation – who
act jointly as the ‘Responsible Authority’ in your Area –
and in each of the 42 Areas of England and Wales. The
experience and good practice upon which this work is
based began in the 1990s – most significantly as a
result of the closer working relationship required by the
Sex Offender Act (1997). The Criminal Justice and
Courts Services Act (2000) formalised that relationship
and built on the existing experience by requiring the
police and probation services to establish
arrangements (the MAPPA) for assessing and
managing the risks posed by sexual and violent
offenders. The Act also required the Responsible
Authority to publish an annual report on the operation of
those arrangements. This report, covering April 2002 to
March 2003, is the second annual report.
The importance of partnership
Key to the development of the MAPPA in the past year
has been the closer involvement of other agencies,
such as housing, health and social services, working
alongside police and probation. The truly multi-agency
nature of the MAPPA and the collaboration which
underpins it is to be strengthened further by the
Criminal Justice Bill. The Bill will place a ‘duty to co-
operate’ on a wide range of organisations including
local health authorities and trusts; housing authorities
and registered social landlords; social services
departments; Job Centres; Youth Offending Teams;
and local education authorities. In addition, the Prison
Service will join the police and probation services and
become part of the MAPPA ‘Responsible Authority’.
Supporting and co-ordinating the development of the
MAPPA throughout the 42 Areas of England and
Wales, is the National Probation Directorate’s Public
Protection Unit (PPU). This Unit acts as a central point
for advice and, increasingly, involvement in the
management of difficult cases. These include, for
example, UK citizens who have committed serious
offences abroad and return to this country without
anywhere to live. The Unit is also able to provide
financial support when the risk management plans
make exceptional demands upon local resources.
Involving the public
MAPPA developments in the next 18 months will also
include the appointment by the Home Secretary of two
‘lay advisers’ to each Area. The eight Areas of England
and Wales which have been piloting these
arrangements since January (Cumbria, Greater
Manchester, Durham, South Wales, Dorset,
Hampshire, Surrey and West Midlands) report that they
add real value. Lay advisers will contribute to the
review and monitoring of the MAPPA which is
undertaken by each Area’s Strategic Management
Board – the work of which you can read more in this
report.
The purpose of appointing ‘lay advisers’ is to ensure
that communities understand more of what is done to
protect them and that those involved professionally with
the MAPPA are aware of the views of the community.
The lay advisers will not ‘represent’ the community in
the way, for example, that local councillors do, nor will
they be involved in operational decision-making. And,
given the sensitivity of much of what the MAPPA does,
especially with the few offenders who pose a very high
risk of serious harm to the public, it is not practicable for
the general public to be involved. Lay advisers will,
however, ensure an appropriate and a practical level of
community involvement.
MAPPA Offenders
This year the annual report provides a more detailed
breakdown of the number of sexual and violent
offenders who are covered by the MAPPA in your Area.
As last year, the figures include the number of
registered sex offenders. Because sex offender
registration is for a minimum of 5 years (and generally
for much longer) the figures are cumulative. This is why
they have increased – by 16 per cent in England and
Wales. Only a very small proportion (about six per cent
throughout England and Wales) are considered to pose
such a high risk or management difficulty that they are
referred to the highest level of the MAPPA – the Multi-
Agency Public Protection Panels (the MAPPP).
Figures alone do not, of course, tell the whole story.
The anonymised case studies illustrate the practical
work of the MAPPA, and demonstrate the preventive
action which can be taken. Prior to the MAPPA, action
of this kind was mainly taken by one agency alone, with
the effect that on occasion offenders’ behaviour which
might have triggered preventative action went
unnoticed. The multi-agency approach of the MAPPA
helps ensure that if an offender does breach the
condition of the licence under which they were released
from prison or a court order prohibiting certain activities,
then action to enforce the condition or order and protect
the public can be taken more swiftly.
If you are interested in reading the reports of other
Areas, they will be published on the National Probation
Service’s website www.probation.homeoffice.gov.uk
(under the public protection section) with all of them
being available once the last Area has published its
annual report in September.
West Yorkshire Area Summary

West Yorkshire comprises an area of 785 square miles

and a population of 2.1 million. The main conurbations
of Leeds, Bradford, Wakefield, Calderdale and Kirklees
which make up the county of West Yorkshire are
served by West Yorkshire Police, the National
Probation Service – West Yorkshire and five Local
Authorities.

West Yorkshire agencies can feel proud to have been

responsible for pioneering work over the years to
ensure the safety of the community through active
collaboration between the Police, the Probation Service
and other agencies.

As long ago as 1993, Police and Probation in West

Yorkshire made arrangements to bring together
representatives of agencies who were active in Child
and Public Protection, Health, Housing and Victim
Support. This approach to community safety has been
commended nationally and so West Yorkshire was well
placed to respond to new arrangements, which have
recently been introduced through legislation. (Criminal
Justice and Court Services Act 2000 – Section 67 & 68
(multi-agency public protection arrangements –
MAPPA)).

The legislation imposes a duty on the Police and

Probation Service in West Yorkshire to work together to
protect the public from sexual and violent offenders and
other offenders who may cause serious harm to the
public.

The difficult task of balancing the rights of the individual

against the protection of the public is managed through
the Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements
(MAPPA). Within this framework, the most complex
cases, normally referred to as the critical few, are dealt
with by the Multi Agency Public Protection Panel
(MAPPP) meetings. The priority must always be the
protection of the public.

A great deal of work is undertaken with those

individuals who are identified as posing a risk to the
public. Within prisons for example, there are
programmes such as the Sex Offender Treatment
Programme, which aims to challenge and redress the
attitude of offenders to their crimes. It is recognised
however, that for some such programmes will have no
direct effect. In these cases it is important to monitor
and supervise their activities to ensure public safety.
Legislation provides for various means to achieve this,
most notably through MAPPA, where the Police and
Probation Services assisted by other agencies can
actively supervise dangerous and sexual offenders in
the community.

Various tools can be and are utilised against individual

offenders where they pose a particular risk. A Sex
Offender Order for example, can direct an offender not
to contact children and to remain away from situations
where children may be put at risk. This is just one of
many options available through MAPPA.

The effectiveness of the legislation and procedures to

manage the risk and activities of dangerous and sexual
offenders is dependent upon a good working
relationship between the various agencies. The public
of West Yorkshire can be reassured that agencies
within West Yorkshire work hard and well together.
Responsibilities of MAPPA
The Police Service is founded on
the principle that the prevention and
detection of crime is central to its
purpose. In recent years, in order to
fight crime effectively the police have
had to target their resources at the
most active offenders, as well as the
most serious offenders in their
communities. This has required the
development of better criminal
intelligence systems that are capable
of indicating who the prolific
offenders are, and of assisting in
gathering evidence to prosecute
offenders. This intelligence-led
model of policing has been
successfully adapted across
England and Wales. The Police
Service also has extensive
experience of working in a variety of
partnerships in order to prevent
crime.
Within the MAPPA framework such
intelligence and experience is crucial
in identifying offenders, sharing
information, assessing and
managing risk: the essential
components of effective public
protection work. The Sex Offenders
Act 1997 requires that individuals
who commit certain sexually related
offences are subject to registration,
risk assessment and monitoring.
This responsibility falls to the police
who have officers dedicated to this
task. The police, where appropriate,
refer to MAPPA those registered sex
offenders about whom they have
concerns, or where the indications
are that a multi-agency risk
management plan can provide best
protection of the public.
The National Probation Service –
West Yorkshire is funded entirely
by central government and has five
statutory aims:
• The protection of the public;
• The reduction of re-offending;
• The proper punishment of
offenders;
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
• Ensuring offenders’ awareness
of the effects of crime on the
victims of crime and the public;
and
• The rehabilitation of offenders.
Supporting these aims is the further
statutory duty imposed on the
National Probation Service to
undertake victim contact work, and
the priorities currently set for the
National Probation Service by the
Home Secretary, of which the top
three are:
• more accurate and effective
assessment and management of
risk and dangerousness;
• more contact and involvement
with the victims of serious sexual
and other violent crime; and,
• The production and delivery of
offender programmes which
have a proven track record in
reducing re-offending.
The Probation Service refers to the
MAPPA all those offenders where a
comprehensive risk assessment has
indicated a high or very high
potential risk of harm to the public.
The MAPPA framework has four
functions or stages:
1. Identification. This involves
referring to MAPPA those
offenders identified as posing
a potential risk of harm to the
public. Usually these
offenders are identified by the
police or probation services,
using well researched
assessment tools, but
procedures exist for other
agencies to refer to MAPPA.
Typically these can include
prisons, health services, social
services, housing and other
agencies.
2. Information Sharing.
Ensuring that information is
gathered from and shared
between all relevant agencies
who may be involved in the
assessment of risk.
3. Risk Assessment. Using this
information along with
experience from Police,
Probation and Victim Liaison
units to identify as specifically
as possible the details of the
risks posed.
4. Risk Management. The
outcome of the earlier
functions – a detailed risk
management plan detailing
the contribution each agency
will make in managing the
risks which have been
identified. At this stage the
method of review is also
decided. The majority of cases
can successfully be managed
through the normal internal
procedures, but a small
number will be subject to
multi-agency oversight,
reflecting the complexity of the
risk management plan.
Our experience to date has
confirmed that the most effective
public protection work with sexual,
violent and other dangerous
offenders takes place when other
relevant agencies also play their
part. For example, in the case of a
sex offender being released into the
community after a custodial
sentence, communication with the
prison may have led to conditions
being placed in the licence
prohibiting the offender from living in
or visiting the area where the victim
resides. The MAPPA may have
decided that accommodation should
be within a hostel environment
providing curfews and other
monitoring, and Social Services may
have been informed regarding
partners or ex-partners of the
offender.
Other MAPPA Agencies
A number of other agencies are
actively involved in MAPPA. In some
instances they are core members of
district MAPPA meetings, for others,
such as the Prison Service, they
attend meetings in regard to specific
offenders. Currently MAPPA in West
Yorkshire includes the following:
• Prison Service
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
Case Studies
Johnson (not his real name) was
given a life sentence for the
manslaughter of a friend in a fight
following a drinking bout. He has a
mental health problem, which leaves
him with a very low threshold of
anger.
Johnson was first released on parole
in 1988, but his licence was revoked
after another violent confrontation.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
Ahmed (not his real name) is a
businessman whose wife had
concealed the fact that he was
violent to her for over 20 years,
because she feared it would
jeopardise their daughter’s chances
of a good marriage. Throughout that
time he would beat her, sit down to
eat the meal she had prepared, and
then continue to beat her.
After the daughter’s wedding, his
wife disclosed to police what she
had been suffering and Ahmed was
convicted and given a Community
Rehabilitation Order with the
condition that he attend the
• Local authority: Social Services
(child protection)
• Health Service (forensic and
mental health specialists)
• Victim Services
• Youth Offending Teams
• Accommodation Providers (local
authority and others)
In 2000 he was granted parole
again. Following the decisions of a
MAPPA meeting attended by a
representative of the local mental
health team, conditions were placed
in his licence to ensure he must
reside in a specified hostel for
people with mental illness; not
consume alcohol; and attend
psychiatric outpatients
appointments. After a year in the
Domestic Violence (Duluth)
programme.
A MAPPA meeting reviewed the
case and agreed it was suitable for
normal agency management.
However they alerted Social
Services to the likely needs of the
younger child of the family, who had
witnessed the violent abuse of his
mother.
While Ahmed is attending the Duluth
programme, the Probation Victim
Liaison Unit will remain in contact
with his wife to monitor his behaviour
and offer her support.
We anticipate that further
development of MAPPA
arrangements will lead to an even
closer working relationship in the
future with these and other partner
agencies.
hostel, he has now been
successfully re-housed in a flat close
by, within reach of help if it is
needed, but enabling him to live
independently. The MAPPA
continues to monitor his case to
ensure the licence conditions are
observed
Boyd (not his real name), 49, was
sentenced to 10 years imprisonment
for the sexual abuse of his 5 year old
daughter. The offences had started
after his divorce, and occurred
during contact visits.
His wife subsequently alleged that
she had been subjected to marital
rape and physical abuse but she had
been too afraid of him to make a
complaint to the police.
He continued to deny the offence
and therefore was ineligible to attend
a Sex Offender Treatment
Programme. While in prison he
began a relationship with a West
Yorkshire woman contacted through
a pen-pal agency. She is a
committed Christian. After being
released to a Probation hostel, he
married her.
Boyd is active within local churches
and the MAPPA meeting decides to
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
Williamson, (not his real name)
man in his fifties, was convicted of
serious sexual assaults on a
number of under-age girls over a
lengthy period. The girls were so
intimidated that none dared report
what had happened. Finally one
girl was so badly injured that she
had to confide in her mother, and
the other offences came to light.
Before the trial, Williamson tried
to intimidate a witness over the
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
disclose information to the ministers
of these churches, to protect children
attending church activities, and to
ensure that the ministers had some
background information in the event
of Boyd’s new wife suffering abuse
and needing support.
phone, threatening to harm her
unless she changed her
statement.
Williamson was sentenced to 6
years imprisonment.
A MAPPA meeting assessed the
risk he presented and decided
that his supervising probation
officer should arrange with the
prison censor’s office to monitor
all his mail, phone calls and
Written contracts have been drawn
up between Boyd and the churches
involved, restricting the activities in
which he may take part to protect the
children in the community.
visitors. The telephone numbers
of his victims are barred by the
prison so that he cannot contact
them.
When released, he will be liable
to sex offender registration and
therefore will not only be under
supervision of Probation, but also
under continuous monitoring by
Police.
Other MAPPA Agencies
Each of the five Local Authority
areas of West Yorkshire conduct
MAPPA meetings on a regular basis.
These are currently administered by
the responsible authority and
attended by the constituent agencies
to MAPPA.
Although any member agency of the
strategic management board can
refer to MAPPA, in practice the
majority of offenders are referred by
the Probation Service. The MAPPA
provides a system for ensuring that
all the available information is
gathered and shared with all the
agencies which deliver services
which contribute to public protection.
Effective risk assessment and
management requires the exercise
of professional judgement. A variety
of validated assessment tools are
applied in order systematically to
assess all offenders subject to
supervision. One of the most
important of these is the Offender
Assessment System (OASys),
currently being rolled out throughout
both the prisons and National
Probation Service which will ensure
consistency of approach, improved
communication and more accurate
risk assessments.
OASys complements the
assessment mechanisms now used
by the Police to identify serious
sexual and violent offenders, and is
able to identify dynamic risk factors
so that these can be targeted in
order safely and effectively to
manage the risk. This ensures that
all offenders are subject to
appropriate supervision plans based
upon risk, but that in addition, those
offenders identified as having the
potential to cause harm are subject
to a risk management action plan
and must be referred to MAPPA.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
In these cases a risk management
plan is reviewed at a meeting of
specialist Police and Probation staff,
including a representative from the
Victim Liaison Unit. Before the
meeting takes place, information
from a variety of sources will have
been sought, which is then shared at
the meeting in order to inform the
risk management plan. In most
cases the potential risk can then be
effectively managed through normal
agency management which includes
documented reviews by the line
manager and supervising officer.
Where the circumstances of a case
indicate a public protection need
which requires exceptional
resourcing, perhaps with actions
from a number of agencies, it will be
referred to a Multi Agency Public
Protection Panel (MAPPP) to ensure
that every possible action is taken to
minimise risk and that all the
agencies participating in the risk
management activities understand
what is required of them.
The Probation Service works within
National Standards issued by the
National Probation Directorate and
these ensure that work is of the
highest standard. Typically risk
management plans are very specific.
For example they may include the
following considerations or
restrictions:
A requirement to live at a
particular address and observe a
curfew enforced with an
electronic tag;
A requirement to take part in a
programme of work specifically
designed to prevent further
offending;
Prohibition on making contact
with certain individuals or groups
of people – and particularly
victims;
Restrictions on the type of
employment they may pursue.
Failure to keep to any of these
conditions will lead to enforcement
action which may result in custody.
Standards are imposed rigorously
and action is taken as soon as an
appointment is missed or a condition
breached.
Similarly, the Police employ a range
of measures to monitor the activity
and risk that registered sex
offenders and others present. Within
the Child and Public Protection Unit
(CPPU) of West Yorkshire Police, a
number of officers and support staff
are employed to do this work.
When a risk is identified, or the
behaviour of an offender gives rise
to concerns the Officers of the CPPU
will act to prevent or stop the activity.
The range of options open to them to
achieve this are many but may
include;
Surveillance and intelligence
Arrest and prosecution
Obtaining orders such as Sex
Offender Orders which place
restrictions on individual
offenders within the Community.
The safety of victims and the wider
community is an ever present
consideration of the MAPPP. In
some cases the MAPPP will
consider releasing information about
an offender to individuals or groups
in order to protect their safety. This
step is not taken lightly, but
sometimes it represents the most
effective means of achieving
individual and community safety.
Case Study

Barker, (not his real name) a
convicted sex offender would often
visit leisure areas, particularly where
children gathered. The MAPPP
meeting decided that the staff at
these leisure facilities needed to be
aware of his identity so that they be
alert to any danger to children.
A photograph and details of Barker
was provided to the leisure centre
staff, so that they could alert police
should he visit their facilities. In
addition, the leisure services banned
Barker from their premises and the
photograph enabled staff to enforce
the ban.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________
The Strategic Management of MAPPA
A shadow Strategic Management
Board has now been formed with the
first meeting having taken place in
late 2002. The role of the Board is
to review, monitor and where
necessary change the risk
assessment and management
arrangements.
The purpose of the Strategic
Management Board is to review and
monitor MAPPA (as required by
Section 67/3 Criminal Justice and
Court Services Act 2000). It is
anticipated that this board will
include senior representatives of the
constituent agencies to MAPPA and
will meet at least four times per year.
The primary focus of MAPPA in
West Yorkshire is to prevent re-
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
Case Study
Jane (not her real name) was just 8
years old when she was first abused
by a man who had a trusted position
in the local community which gave
him access to families and their
children.
Over the next two years, Jane’s
parents became increasingly
concerned about her behaviour
which seemed totally out of
character. She became withdrawn
and aggressive and her school work
deteriorated. When challenged she
eventually confided what the
offender had been doing.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
offending. This is intended to protect
people from serious sexual or violent
crime. Particular attention is paid to
circumstances where a particular
victim, or categories of potential
victims have been identified.
The MAPPA only apply where risk
has been assessed as high.
However, all victims of crime receive
information on, and can comment on
release arrangements for offenders
sentenced to 12 months or longer
periods of imprisonment. During
2003/4, the Probation Board Victim
Liaison Unit provided information in
all appropriate cases.
Representatives of these Units
attend all MAPPP meetings to
provide the victim perspective. In
cases where the victim risk is more
He was subsequently convicted of
indecent assault and gross
indecency, and sentenced to 5 years
custody and extended supervision.
When the Victim Liaison Officer met
with the victim and her family it
became clear that the offence had
impacted not only on them but on
the wider community. The Victim
Liaison Unit had arranged for Jane
to have counselling because of her
very real fear of the offender; her
parents felt guilty that they had not
realised what was happening
sooner, and they were concerned
that he might offend against another
clearly identified, further measures
are taken by the agencies
represented on MAPPA. During the
past year, these have included:
• Provision of intruder alarms in a
case of previous and serious
domestic violence.
• Re-location of an offender to a
new neighbourhood.
• Requiring an offender to stay at
a Probation Hostel on release.
• Arrangements for surveillance
during early weeks of release.
Restrictions on an offender visiting a
neighbourhood where a victim was
living.
child on his release. The Victim
Liaison Officer met with some local
people to listen to their views.
The case was brought to a MAPPP
meeting, which was also attended by
a representative of the offender’s
employers, since he had held a
public role.
The meeting agreed to place
conditions in his licence barring him
from contact with the victim and her
family on release from prison, and
prohibiting him from entering the
area in which she lives.
enabled staff to enforce the ban.
Statistical Information No. of Offenders

i. The number of registered sex offenders on 31 March 2003 1227

ii. The number of sex offenders having a registration requirement who were either 18
cautioned or convicted for breaches of the requirement, between 1 April 2002
and 31 March 2003

iii. The number of Sex Offenders Orders applied for and gained between 1 April
2002 and 31 March 2003

(a) The total number of Sex Offenders Orders applied for 2

(b) The total number granted 2

(c) The total number not granted 0

iv. The number of Restraining Orders issued by the courts between 1 April 2002 0
and 31 March 2003 for offenders currently managed within MAPPA

v. The number of violent and other sexual offenders considered under MAPPA 2329
during the year 1 April 2002 and 31 March 2003 (as defined by section 68 [3],
[4] and [5])

vi. The number of "other offenders" dealt with under MAPPA during the year 1 84
April 2002 and 31 March 2003 as being assessed by the Responsible Authority
as posing a risk of serious harm to the public (but who did not fall within either
of the other two categories, as defined by s.67 [2b])

vii. For each of the three categories of offenders covered by the MAPPA
("registered sex offenders", "violent and other sex offenders" and "other
offenders"), identify the number of offenders that are or have been dealt with
by:

a) MAPPP - registered sex offenders 16

b) MAPPP - violent and other sex offenders 76

c) MAPPP - other offenders 11

viii. Of the cases managed by the MAPPP during the reporting year what was the
number of offenders:

a) who were returned to custody for breach of licence 2

b) who were returned to custody for breach of a Restraining Order or Sex 1

Offender Order

c) charged with a serious sexual or violent offence 0

Contacts

West Yorkshire Probation Area Address Phone

Assistant Chief Officer (Public Relations) West Yorkshire Probation Board 01924 885300
Cliff Hill House
Sandy Walk
Wakefield
WF1 2DJ

Communications and Public Relations Officer West Yorkshire Probation Board 01924 885300
Cliff Hill House
Sandy Walk
Wakefield
WF1 2DJ

West Yorkshire Police Address Phone

Head of Crime West Yorkshire Police 01924 292388

PO Box 9
Wakefield
WF1 3QP

Principal Media and Public Relations Officer West Yorkshire Police 01924 292246
PO Box 9
Wakefield
WF1 3QP
Produced by
West Yorkshire Probation Service and
West Yorkshire Police, 2003 