Hi, I've been lurking for a while and have found this forum to be very useful for information. Sorry I haven't participated sooner - I will certainly endeavour to do so from now on. I have a question for anyone that is an RSO regarding informing the police when you move address. 

I'm ashamed to say that I was convicted of an internet-related sexual offence in 2016 (although the offence was in 2013). I spent 2017 in custody and was released in 2018. I completed my license period at the beginning of this year and wish to move forward with my life. After my sentence, I moved back to live with my parents, who have been wonderful throughout this experience. However, I wish to move back to the city where I spent the last 20 years of my life (pre-conviction) as that's where I still have a lot of good friends who have been very supportive, despite my behaviour in 2013. Simply put, I wouldn't have made it through this without them! 

I contacted my previous landlord to see if he had any flats available, and it turns out he does have a couple, in the area that I lived for 10 years. He is unaware of my conviction; only that I left his property due to a personal crisis. Although I'm not on license, I thought it best to inform PPU of the plan and ask if the address was ok. I have always been compliant with PPU since my release and I received a glowing final report from my probation officer upon completion of my license. My risk was reduced accordingly and I continue to do everything I can to reduce it further. Anyway, PPU forwarded the details to the Police force in the area that I wish to move to. After waiting 2 weeks, I finally got a response that they had said no. The reason being that the address was in close proximity (about 1/2km) to a school. Just to be clear, my prior offence had nothing to do with schools. I asked about another address and the response was the same. The problem is, most places will be in the general vicinity of a school - it's quite difficult to find places that aren't. It would also be more straightforward to stick with properties that my previous landlord owns as I had a good relationship with him and I wouldn't require the usual references and credit checks. His are also the only flats that I've come across that would just about be covered by Housing Benefit. However, all of the properties are around the same area. 

This is obviously extremely frustrating. My PPU officer keeps telling me how important it is to find my own place and get some Independence back, as this statistically reduces risk. However, I am being blocked in doing so because of an imaginary risk. I say imaginary because it is not based on my previous offence. I realised that there is no legal requirement to inform the police that I intend to move - I am doing so purely as a courtesy. Nor do I have any restrictions regarding the location of my accommodation on the SHPO. According to the notification requirements, I am only required to inform police within 3 days of moving address. Also, 2 PPU officers have said that really, they can't stop me living anywhere, but it's best not to ruffle any feathers. My question is, what would happen if I just move to an address without telling them first? Especially as they've already disapproved. As far as I can see it, if there are no legal restrictions, then the negative response from the police is only advisory (?) I really don’t want to upset the police as I’m quite happy with the positive relationship I currently have with them (relative to the circumstances), but it seems I may have no choice. Does anyone on the forum have experience in this matter? I can find not a single piece of useful information online about this particular situation. I'm actually regretting asking them in the first place. If I had just moved, I could have claimed ignorance, but wouldn't have been breaking any rules. 

If anyone has any advice, I would really appreciate it. I apologise for the lengthy rambling - it's a habit of mine. 

Thanks for reading this, 

Teaspoon

Hi, I've been lurking for a while and have found this forum to be very useful for information. Sorry I haven't participated sooner - I will certainly endeavour to do so from now on. I have a question for anyone that is an RSO regarding informing the police when you move address. 

I'm ashamed to say that I was convicted of an internet-related sexual offence in 2016 (although the offence was in 2013). I spent 2017 in custody and was released in 2018. I completed my license period at the beginning of this year and wish to move forward with my life. After my sentence, I moved back to live with my parents, who have been wonderful throughout this experience. However, I wish to move back to the city where I spent the last 20 years of my life (pre-conviction) as that's where I still have a lot of good friends who have been very supportive, despite my behaviour in 2013. Simply put, I wouldn't have made it through this without them! 

I contacted my previous landlord to see if he had any flats available, and it turns out he does have a couple, in the area that I lived for 10 years. He is unaware of my conviction; only that I left his property due to a personal crisis. Although I'm not on license, I thought it best to inform PPU of the plan and ask if the address was ok. I have always been compliant with PPU since my release and I received a glowing final report from my probation officer upon completion of my license. My risk was reduced accordingly and I continue to do everything I can to reduce it further. Anyway, PPU forwarded the details to the Police force in the area that I wish to move to. After waiting 2 weeks, I finally got a response that they had said no. The reason being that the address was in close proximity (about 1/2km) to a school. Just to be clear, my prior offence had nothing to do with schools. I asked about another address and the response was the same. The problem is, most places will be in the general vicinity of a school - it's quite difficult to find places that aren't. It would also be more straightforward to stick with properties that my previous landlord owns as I had a good relationship with him and I wouldn't require the usual references and credit checks. His are also the only flats that I've come across that would just about be covered by Housing Benefit. However, all of the properties are around the same area. 

This is obviously extremely frustrating. My PPU officer keeps telling me how important it is to find my own place and get some Independence back, as this statistically reduces risk. However, I am being blocked in doing so because of an imaginary risk. I say imaginary because it is not based on my previous offence. I realised that there is no legal requirement to inform the police that I intend to move - I am doing so purely as a courtesy. Nor do I have any restrictions regarding the location of my accommodation on the SHPO. According to the notification requirements, I am only required to inform police within 3 days of moving address. Also, 2 PPU officers have said that really, they can't stop me living anywhere, but it's best not to ruffle any feathers. My question is, what would happen if I just move to an address without telling them first? Especially as they've already disapproved. As far as I can see it, if there are no legal restrictions, then the negative response from the police is only advisory (?) I really don’t want to upset the police as I’m quite happy with the positive relationship I currently have with them (relative to the circumstances), but it seems I may have no choice. Does anyone on the forum have experience in this matter? I can find not a single piece of useful information online about this particular situation. I'm actually regretting asking them in the first place. If I had just moved, I could have claimed ignorance, but wouldn't have been breaking any rules. 

If anyone has any advice, I would really appreciate it. I apologise for the lengthy rambling - it's a habit of mine. 

Thanks for reading this, 

Teaspoon

Hi, I've been lurking for a while and have found this forum to be very useful for information. Sorry I haven't participated sooner - I will certainly endeavour to do so from now on. I have a question for anyone that is an RSO regarding informing the police when you move address. 

I'm ashamed to say that I was convicted of an internet-related sexual offence in 2016 (although the offence was in 2013). I spent 2017 in custody and was released in 2018. I completed my license period at the beginning of this year and wish to move forward with my life. After my sentence, I moved back to live with my parents, who have been wonderful throughout this experience. However, I wish to move back to the city where I spent the last 20 years of my life (pre-conviction) as that's where I still have a lot of good friends who have been very supportive, despite my behaviour in 2013. Simply put, I wouldn't have made it through this without them! 

I contacted my previous landlord to see if he had any flats available, and it turns out he does have a couple, in the area that I lived for 10 years. He is unaware of my conviction; only that I left his property due to a personal crisis. Although I'm not on license, I thought it best to inform PPU of the plan and ask if the address was ok. I have always been compliant with PPU since my release and I received a glowing final report from my probation officer upon completion of my license. My risk was reduced accordingly and I continue to do everything I can to reduce it further. Anyway, PPU forwarded the details to the Police force in the area that I wish to move to. After waiting 2 weeks, I finally got a response that they had said no. The reason being that the address was in close proximity (about 1/2km) to a school. Just to be clear, my prior offence had nothing to do with schools. I asked about another address and the response was the same. The problem is, most places will be in the general vicinity of a school - it's quite difficult to find places that aren't. It would also be more straightforward to stick with properties that my previous landlord owns as I had a good relationship with him and I wouldn't require the usual references and credit checks. His are also the only flats that I've come across that would just about be covered by Housing Benefit. However, all of the properties are around the same area. 

This is obviously extremely frustrating. My PPU officer keeps telling me how important it is to find my own place and get some Independence back, as this statistically reduces risk. However, I am being blocked in doing so because of an imaginary risk. I say imaginary because it is not based on my previous offence. I realised that there is no legal requirement to inform the police that I intend to move - I am doing so purely as a courtesy. Nor do I have any restrictions regarding the location of my accommodation on the SHPO. According to the notification requirements, I am only required to inform police within 3 days of moving address. Also, 2 PPU officers have said that really, they can't stop me living anywhere, but it's best not to ruffle any feathers. My question is, what would happen if I just move to an address without telling them first? Especially as they've already disapproved. As far as I can see it, if there are no legal restrictions, then the negative response from the police is only advisory (?) I really don’t want to upset the police as I’m quite happy with the positive relationship I currently have with them (relative to the circumstances), but it seems I may have no choice. Does anyone on the forum have experience in this matter? I can find not a single piece of useful information online about this particular situation. I'm actually regretting asking them in the first place. If I had just moved, I could have claimed ignorance, but wouldn't have been breaking any rules. 

If anyone has any advice, I would really appreciate it. I apologise for the lengthy rambling - it's a habit of mine. 

Thanks for reading this, 

Teaspoon

Apologies if i'm being too personal, these are the questions going around in my head:
a - what does the SHPO say
b - what was your conviction

You do have to wonder how many PPUs and how the CPS are putting together SHPOs especially when you consider https://www.casemine.com/judgement/uk/5a8ff7a360d03e7f57eb094c

Apologies if i'm being too personal, these are the questions going around in my head:
a - what does the SHPO say
b - what was your conviction

You do have to wonder how many PPUs and how the CPS are putting together SHPOs especially when you consider https://www.casemine.com/judgement/uk/5a8ff7a360d03e7f57eb094c

Sorry for the slow response to this. The SHPO restricts unsupervised contact with girls under 16 and requires me to retain internet history (not that they ever actually check this). The conviction was related to indecent images (making, not producing) 5 years ago. Something that I'm extremely ashamed of, but have spent all the time since doing everything that I can to improve. I've done everything required of me by probation, while on license, and by PPU. I finished my license a few months back and really want to move forward.

I don't have a social network in the city I'm currently living in other than my parents. I firmly believe it would be a positive step for me to move back to the city where I lived for 20 years, prior to my conviction, as I have a very strong support network there. I'm desperate to get my own place and start feeling like a responsible adult again. My own PPU believes that this is the next big step in terms of reducing risk.

As it is, Housing Benefit (through UC) would nowhere near cover accommodation where I currently live. The only option would be to move far away to somewhere cheaper and end up being completely isolated. Throughout the entire process, since my arrest (2015), loneliness has been raised as a significant risk factor. So moving somewhere that I have a good support network and social life would significantly reduce an actual risk factor. As it is, the Housing Benefit in the city I wish to move to, does cover modest rents (how Local Housing Rates are calculated is mystery to me). 

As an update, my PPU called me yesterday and explained that, although the local PPU where I wish to move say that all the properties I've seen are unsuitable, I am under no obligation to seek permission to live anywhere. She was clearly choosing her words carefully, but strongly hinting that I would be better to just move and notify in the normal way once I'm there. They've made this point every time I've asked to check an address - I don't need to ask permission. She also said that, for her, the usual process is to look at risk factors (such as proximity to schools) once someone has notified of a new address. They then make an assessment based on the details of the case and after the initial interview with the individual. In terms of risk, the proximity to a school thing, is only really an issue if the individual has a history of approaching people at schools and has moved into a house that is next door to one (apparently this does happen). Even then, they would just monitor the situation more closely in the initial months. 

I've got to consider the possibility that the local PPU have just looked at the addresses through the lens of me being a generic SO, without looking at the details of the case. I've also got to weigh up the imaginary risk (not based on previous behaviour) of the proximity to schools against the actual identified risk factor (loneliness). Objectively, the reduction of actual risk has to trump the imaginary risk. I say this as someone who has spent many years assessing risk in relation to hazardous materials.

After weighing up all of the above and discussing it with the people that I trust and care about, I've decided to go for one of the flats. If I don't do it, then I will just end up being stuck in my current location for many more years and spiralling into a pit of loneliness and depression. I am both excited and apprehensive at the same time. It may be that the local PPU are fine and there are no problems. But I now have all of these ideas going through my head in terms of what action they could take, if they were unhappy. Increasing risk is the obvious one. While I would find that demoralising, I would cope and continue to demonstrate that I'm not a risk. But could they do something such as seek an amendment to my SHPO that prevents me being within a certain distance of schools, thereby making it illegal for me to live in my home? (I would certainly hope that they can't legally do something like that and make someone homeless). Or, could they inform the landlord of my conviction, in the hope that he then evicts me? I can't see a reason for them needing to inform the landlord, as there are no families in the property, or in the area generally. But again, I just don't know. 

It's quite upsetting that something that most people take for granted, such as moving to a new home, feels so risky and stressful as a result. Either way, I will be moving in a month's time. I will update this forum with what happens. I think I'll only feel a bit more relaxed, once I've had the initial interview with the local PPU and can gauge their feelings on the matter. Let's just hope I don't get one of the nasty ones!  

Teaspoon

Sounds like the right decision, to me. PPU should not be able to change your SHPO without some actual evidence of an increased risk.
If they do turn out to be difficult, at least you will have that support network around you, to help.

Good Luck!

Thanks punter99.

I'm hoping the SHPO amendment thing is just me being paranoid (as we're all familiar with). They could of course argue that my risk has increased by moving to an area in close proximity to schools. Let's hope that's not the case. 

I'm planning on drafting a letter to detail the decision making process I've been through. I know I tend to ramble on when I'm nervous (which I will be), so putting things down on paper seems a sensible thing to do. Then I can point out the real risk factors that have been identified in the in the past (loneliness) and how the move will reduce this. Furthermore, I have consulted with many people that I trust about the situation and made an informed decision based predominately on risk-reduction. Also, when relying on Housing Benefit, there's not many places in the country that can be covered by the Local Housing Rate. As it is, I've found somewhere that is not only covered by HB, but is in an area that has the strongest possible support network. I doubt that the local PPU will be aware of any of these details yet. By printing a letter, I can have it ready on the first visit, if they bring it up. That way, if they don't bring up any concerns, I don't have to give it to them. I hope that it would demonstrate how seriously I take my own risk-management and how much careful consideration I give to big, life decisions.

The apprehension is killing me though. I think I'll initially only move a minimal amount of stuff into the new flat, until I've had the first interview and can relax a bit. 

Teaspoon

Hi Teaspoon,

From a personal perspective - your offence was internet based and not a contact offence so provided your SHPO has no specific stipulations regarding your accommodation you are free to move where you like. You have a valid reason for wanting to move and any sensible PPU officer will recognize that the move will help to reduce your risk for the reasons you have outlined.

I have been there with the apprehension and anxiety, go for a walk and when you get back in have a cuppa and a biscuit.

Hope this helps

Eddy