BRITAIN BACKS US

BRITAIN has thrown its overwhelming support behind the News of the World campaign for Sarah's Law.

An exclusive MORI poll revealed that 82 per cent of the people back our crusade for an urgent shake-up of the country's outdated and ineffective child sex laws.

They have joined the powerful voices who have already endorsed plans to give parents controlled access to information about paedophiles and potential sex offenders living in their community.

And a million people have signed our For Sarah petition demanding change, launched after the killing of eight-year-old Sarah Payne

Fears

Her grieving parents Michael and Sara also welcomed the massive vote of confidence.

The poll reveals incredible levels of support for every aspect of Sarah's Law.

Most importantly, more than two-thirds of the population agree with us that those convicted of serious sexual offences against children should NEVER be set free.

Our survey uncovers substantial fears over the safety and effectiveness of the current Sex Offenders Register.

The register includes details of those convicted since 1997.

But 44 per cent of the population fear it is not effective.

At present offenders have a fortnight to register after being freed - 14 days at liberty to re-offend.

Not surprisingly 93 per cent of the British public agrees with us - offenders MUST be registered within 72 hours.

At the moment if perverts fail to comply with the register, putting kids at risk, they face a prison sentence of just six months.

When we called for that to be UPPED to five years we gained support from the NSPCC, the Association of Chief Police Officers and the Association of Chief Officers of Probation.

Now that demand earns support from a mighty 84 per cent of the country.

There is also a strong call for paedophiles to be PUBLICLY named - three in every five back that reform.

And almost 80 per cent of the population agree that local communities MUST be informed if a convicted paedophile lives in their neighbourhood.

Rights

The public declared that it's time to put the victims, and not the criminals, first.

Less than half the country agrees with those who bleat that a criminal's human rights must be protected no matter how serious the offence.

The News of the World, and the Payne family, were the first to condemn isolated vigilante violence that flared as we launched our campaign for Sarah's Law.

Now our tough stance has been backed by the public - 84 per cent disagree with people taking the law into their own hands, although most actually SYMPATHISED with the protestors.

These findings make it clear that the frustration and fear which boiled over in places such as the Paulsgrove Estate in Portsmouth are shared by a huge majority of the population.

When Sarah Payne's mother Sara heard the details of the poll results she was delighted and declared: "We're on our way. Sarah's Law is now inevitable.

"Together with all the public we ARE going to do it. Michael and I will not stop until we see the law changed."

The Home Office are carrying out an urgent review of the legislation relating to child sex offenders.

Sara pleaded with them to see our poll as crucial evidence of the strength of feeling across the nation.

"The government now need to look at this and see that these changes are what the public want," she added.

"After all, that's what the government are there for. They are OUR government and we have a right to expect them to listen and then do what we ask.

"Parents have a right to know what's happening in their community. You can't protect your children if you don't know where the danger is.

" But Sara again stressed that local knowledge of paedophiles' whereabouts must not be used as an excuse for vigilante violence.

"The best way to go is to CHANGE the law not take it your own hands," she insisted.

"The government need to see that people can handle the truth responsibly - not act like raving lunatics."

* IN the charts and graphics illustrating our poll results the figures in brackets reflect the views of News of the World readers only. MORI interviewed 1,004 adults (including 218 regular News of the World readers) over 18 nationwide by telephone on August 17-18. Data has been weighted to the known population profile.

© Copyright MORI/News of the World