Despite all the advice against 'Megan's Law' which is a just a charter to legalise vigilantes (who have burnt down the wrong house and beaten to death the wrong person where it is in operation) some police forces have given in to the News of the World. What is this country coming to when trashy newspapers decide the law?

Roger Tilbury, Worthing,

Why do they have access to children in the first place? Surley the police should prevent that, instead of relying on people asking.

Mike, Birmingham, UK

And what if the single Mother just enjoys snooping? What proof does she have to give to Police that she wants to check if a potential partner has sex convictions?

Seems to be a bit of a snoopers charter!

Does the same apply if a single father wishes to check on a female partner? Probably not!

A Thorn, London,

The cure for anyone that targets children as a victim of any crime is death, pure and simple. If you really want an effetive register for paedophiles then combine it with the register of births, marriages and deaths.
But don't worry about civil liberties. Given the current track record, the disc with the names on will never make it into the computer in the first place.

KR, Stockport,

This is a highly emotive subject for most people, especially those who are parents, but as a parent I question whether access to this type of list the answer? knowing there are perverts around and teaching your children to be aware of that danger is one thing, knowing who and where they are is another. This list will lead to blackmail, false allegations and probably vigillante action, totally innocent people will be targeted either via malicious gossip or due to bureaucratic mistakes, that aside, I believe it will create an even bigger threat to our childrens safety as convicted paedophiles will be driven underground. This list is not the answer, convicted paedophiles should not be realeased into our society untill the authorties are sure they will not re-offend, even then they should not be housed in areas located near schools or parks and be constantly monitored.

Les Corrin, Southport, England

Tony Murphy.

Of course we are all very sorry for what happened to your daughter. However, and I could be wrong here, but I suspect the karate teacher had NO previous convictions so even if you had all the information in the World he would have been in the 'clear' as far as you are concerned.

"making sure that we can be confident that those 90 per cent of sex offences against children which are committed by people who are known by those children", that is 90% of people who have been convicted (and thus already done the offence/s). Until someone commits a sexual crime against children AND is convicted they are on NO register. So not sure how this will prevent the 90% of offences by people who have not offended yet?!

I do think however that this new legilslation will be useful in deterring that ever so tiny number of predatory offenders.

John, Beijing, China

Good point Barry. Totally agree.

Louise, London,

The Government is dancing to a tabloid's tune and is reacting to a campaign and not treating the problem.

The former Head of Child Protection New Scotland Yard, supported by statistical research, said two years ago that there were an estimated 1m men in Britain with an 'unhealthy interest in the young.' But there are only 33,000 abusers on 'List 99.' So mothers can discover nothing about the 97% (967,000) not on the list. And if a mothers 'latest squeeze' is not on the list, it makes him ok does it? Well it is precisely at this point that the trouble starts.

What is needed is parents to be educated in the modalities of paedophilia, and children from as young as 9 to be taught by parents about the signs of potential problems. Empower the children and the parents to be aware of the issues. This policy is fatuous and provides solace to those who feel the need to outsource parental responsibility. I speak from experience having been serially abused at 12 years of age,

David Smith , London, UK

And how long will it take for the bumbling bureaucrats to actually inform parents? Probably far too long, and in most cases the damage will already have been done. In this day and age we need an on-line register that people can just log on to, similar to that in the USA.

Paul Downes, Milton Keynes, Bucks

Not good enough! When my daughter was 14, she was sexually assaulted by her Karate teacher. He admitted and received a caution and placed on the sex offenders register for 2 years.

News leaked out and, because there was no proof that we could show people, my daughter was bullied and assaulted by other people from the Karate school because he told others she was looking for attaention.

My daughter suffered irreversable damage and has been mentally scarred for life. He gets away scott free, still teaching children and no-one believes my daughter.
This should be extended to this type of offnece so parents have a right to find out about a paedophile teaching their children.

Tony Murphy, Nelson, Lancashire England

I want to be able to check if the people I employ to mend my house have convictions for theft and burglary, if the Insurance agent has been to prison for fraud and if the care home assistant does drugs. It's time that the entire PNC was opened up to the public not just a few child molesters details.

BArry Purkis, Havant , England