Abduction of Palmerston North Child Heightens Call for Registered Sex Offender Data Base

12 February 2016
“The abduction of an innocent 5 year old Palmerston North child highlights the importance for New Zealand to have a registered sex offender data base publicly available”

Scott Guthrie, National Child Abuse spokesperson for Sensible Sentencing Trust, has today said that a sex offender’s data base could very well have lessened the risk of this little girl being abducted simply by way of the wider community knowing where these types of offenders live.

Shekinah Relies-Skipper was abducted around 8.30am while walking to school with 2 older siblings. Her sisters watched in vain as she was driven away. Although she was found 2 hours later the police search continued for the offender.

The question needs to be asked as to why a profile of the offender was not immediately released to the public to aid the police in their search of him. There has been an extremely high Police presence in Shannon all day so the Police obviously know who they are interested in talking to.

Scott is reiterating the call for a registered sex offender data base now and is also calling on the Police to be more open with the public in asking for help.

“The public want to support our police. They can be and should be the eyes and ears of the police; after all they also have a vested interest in public safety – particularly when kids are involved.”

"A publicly available sex offender data base is essential."

ENDS

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