Castration of Sex Pests

Some sex offenders could benefit from being castrated, one of the Government's leading advisers on the treatment of sex pests has said.

Professor Don Grubin, who is running a pilot on lie detector tests for sex offenders on behalf of the Ministry of Justice, thinks the drastic move could work on a voluntary basis.

The academic, a professor of forensic psychiatry at Newcastle University's Institute of Neuroscience, is already running a Government-backed programme that offers so-called "chemical castration" for sex offenders where medication reduces an individual's testosterone levels.

But following a visit to the Czech Republic, where they offer physical castration for volunteers, Prof Grubin believes there is scope to go even further in Britain.

Asked by More4 News whether there is a place for physical castration in Britain, he said: "If you asked me that two years ago I would have said no.

"Having thought a bit about what they say is going on here (Czech Republic), and the way they use it here, I'm coming to the view that there may be a small number of offenders in Britain who would benefit from physical castration offenders who have had medical treatments that have shown it's helpful for them, and who consent to the idea that this would be very helpful to them."

He said there are a small number of sex offenders who do request such a move.

But Juliet Lyon, director of the Prison Reform Trust, said such as move would be a "step too far in a justice system committed to humane, decent and effective treatment of offenders".

"To reduce risk of re-offending, surely we should build on the proven success of sex offender treatment programmes in prison, intensive probation supervision in the community and 'circles of support' work pioneered by the Quakers," she added.

Authorities in the Czech Republic offer physical castration to those sex offenders who request it.

In tonight's programme, one serial offender referred to only as Vaclav, who assaulted girls as young as 12, said it was the "best decision" he has ever made.

He adds: "On the one hand you have to protect the potential victims and on the other hand I wanted to be protected from myself, I wanted to live like a normal person."

Prof Grubin is currently running a three year programme that offers drugs to sex offenders to reduce the risk of further offending.

The programme involves jailed sex offenders volunteering to take medication to reduce their testosterone levels to those of prepubescent boys. The result is similar to the effects of castration.

He is also heading up a Government pilot programme to force sex offenders in the Midlands to take lie detector tests when they are released from prison.

"25% of all sex offenders re-offend within 15 years"
.........Sarah Tofte