More than 50 Sexual Risk Orders imposed on men by police forces

More than 50 Sexual Risk Orders of the type imposed on a man forced to give notice of his intention to begin a sexual relationship have been issued in England, Sky News can reveal.

Figures show a number of young people have received an order, the youngest being just 17.

IT consultant John O'Neill, 45, from York, was told by police that he must give a day's notice before starting a sexual relationship with a new partner.

That has now been amended, meaning that he has to tell them as soon as reasonably practicable before beginning such a relationship.

He previously lost a court bid to have his order overturned after claiming that it was preventing him from being a normal member of society.

All police forces that responded to a Freedom of Information request on Sexual Risk Orders (SROs) said they had all been issued to men.

The data reveals a wide disparity between which police forces have used the orders that are designed to protect the public, children or vulnerable people from sexual harm.

Orders can be issued when someone is alleged to have committed an act of a sexual nature that gives rise to concern, even if that person has never been convicted.

The order was introduced with the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 and replaced the previous Risk of Sexual Harm Orders.

Out of the 39 police forces in England, 10 said they had not imposed any orders and eight failed or refused to respond to Sky News' request.

Forces such as Essex, Kent, North Yorkshire, Merseyside and the London's Metropolitan police had issued between five and seven full or pending orders.

Devon and Cornwall and Kent issued a total of four orders, all to males aged under 18.

The oldest person to be issued with an order was 52, which was imposed by Surrey Police.

Eight forces said their orders affected just one individual in their force area.

The total number of orders issued in 30 force areas, was 51 with two pending.

Warwickshire and West Mercia, which issued one order to a male aged 27, provided joint figures as the forces operate a "strategic partnership".

BREAKDOWN OF INDIVIDUAL FORCES

:: Avon and Somerset
Two orders, no detail about subjects

:: Bedfordshire
One order, no detail about subjects

:: Cambridgeshire
No reply

:: Cleveland
Three males aged 51, 43, and 23

:: Cheshire
One order, no detail about subjects

:: City of London
None

:: Derbyshire
No reply

:: Cumbria
None

:: Devon and Cornwall
Three males, aged 49, 17 and 17

:: Dorset
No reply

:: Durham
None

:: Essex
Five males, aged 27 to 19, two full and three interim

:: Gloucestershire
Refused to answer

:: Greater Manchester
One

:: Hampshire
Refused to answer

:: Hertfordshire
Infomation not held

:: Humbershire
One

:: Kent
Six males, four adults and two juveniles

:: Lancashire
None

:: Leicestershire
Two males

:: Lincolnshire
No reply

:: Merseyside
Five males, one in his 40s, two in their 20s, three granted and two pending

:: Met Police (London)
Seven males

:: Norfolk
Two males

:: North Yorkshire
Six

:: Northamptonshire
One

:: Northumbria
None

:: Nottinghamshire
One

:: South Yorkshire
Refused to answer

:: Staffordshire
None

:: Suffolk
None

:: Surrey
None

:: Sussex
One male, aged 52

:: Thames Valley
Three males

:: Warwickshire and West Mercia
One male, aged 27

:: West Midlands
One

:: West Yorkshire
None

:: Wiltshire
Refused to answer