JUST one sex offender in Bolton has had their conviction unveiled to suspicious parents under new laws.

Sarah’s Law, which allows parents to check if someone with regular access to their children has a history of sex offences, was introduced to police forces in April, last year.

Greater Manchester Police received 67 applications under the new law last year. Eleven of those applications resulted in disclosures of sex offenders being made.

Only one application for a person’s criminal past revealed a Bolton man’s historic sex offending, a Freedom of Information request has revealed.

The law was introduced after the murder of Sarah Payne, aged eight, in West Sussex in 2000.

She was killed by Roy Whiting, a convicted sex offender. Sarah’s mother, Sara, campaigned for the measures to be brought in to protect other children.

Sian Leehane, a victim of a paedophile who waived her anonymity to encourage other people to come forward, praised the law saying people had the right to know if their children were being put in contact with sex offenders.

Miss Leehane, aged 29, from Deane, said: “I think Sarah’s Law is definitely a good thing. Parents have the right to know who their children are around.

“It is possible that this person in Bolton would offend again, but I do not condone vigilante action.

“Even if I hadn’t been abused I would definitely want to find out about someone through Sarah’s Law. If the only way to know whether someone is a sex offender is through the police then I think people have the right to know to keep kids safe.”

Miss Leehane, who has a daughter, was abused by her stepfather, Michael Stirling, between the ages of three and 11.

He was jailed at Bolton Crown Court last year for eight years after admitting the abuse.