CAMBRIDGESHIRE is t pilt a cntrversial prject giving parents the chance t knw whether paedphiles have access t their children. The scheme is being trialled acrss the cunty allwing parents t ask plice whether a named individual, such as a car

CAMBRIDGESHIRE is t pilt a cntrversial prject giving parents the chance t knw whether paedphiles have access t their children.

The scheme is being trialled acrss the cunty allwing parents t ask plice whether a named individual, such as a carer r new partner, has child sex cnvictins.

But Hme Secretary, Jacqui Smith, is quick t stress that the initiative wuld nt prmte a free-fr-all which culd lead t cmmunity-wide disclsure.

Plice, prbatin fficers and Cambridgeshire Cunty Cuncil will be invlved in the trials and will be able t decide what infrmatin t release.

Pilts are als being run in Hampshire, Cleveland and Warwickshire and, if successful, the idea culd be rlled ut acrss England and Wales.

Cambridgeshire plice detective superintendent, Jhn Raine said: "We are happy that the Hme Secretary has made the decisin t include Cambridgeshire as ne f fur frces in this pilt prject.

"Our public prtectin department has recently received a gd reprt frm the Hme Office inspectrs fr the wrk we d.

"With effective links t Children's Scial Care and the lcal Safeguarding Children's Bard, we are in a strng psitin t see if this prpsal will actually wrk t further prtect children frm harm."

Campaigners, led by Sara Payne, whse daughter Sarah was murdered by a paedphile, have fught t give parents the right t knw whether cnvicted sex ffenders live in the area.

In America legislatin has been passed allwing public access t infrmatin n the histry and whereabuts f high risk ffenders. But ppnents in Britain argue that this culd lead t paedphiles "ging undergrund" and prmte vigilante attacks.

A Cambridgeshire Cunty Cuncil spkesman said f the pilt scheme: "At present details f exactly hw the Gvernment intends this t wrk are smewhat sketchy - but clearly we wuld supprt anything which prtects children in ur cmmunity and reassures parents and bna fide carers.