New law to ensure supervision of paedophiles

Friday 04 December 2009

Paedophiles will no longer be able to avoid supervision while they await the outcome of an appeal under new legislation to be sent to parliament within three months reports Friday's Telegraaf.

Most political parties support the move, says the paper. ‘This must be sorted out quickly… You have to protect society,’ opposition right-wing Liberal (VVD) MP Fred Teeven is quoted as saying by the paper.

There has been an angry reaction by the public and politicians following a ruling by the court on Thursday that local authorities had no right to ban a convicted paedophile from his holiday home in Heuvelrug near Utrecht pending his appeal.

Because Sietze van der Velde has appealed his conviction, he cannot be forced to comply with probation service supervision. It is the second time a judge has rejected a banning order on the man.

The Socialist Party (SP) has sent the appeal court a letter calling for Van der Velde’s case to be processed quickly, says the Telegraaf. SP MP Krista van Velzen: ‘The problem will only become bigger and there will be an endless line of local councils who want to get rid of this man but can’t,’ she is quoted as saying.

The Christian Democrats say that they hope that the police will keep an eye on Van der Velde until his case is heard to make sure he does not approach any children.

© DutchNews.nl

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