Hunt for missing child sex offender

POLICE are hunting a convicted sex offender who has moved out of his Plymouth home without informing them of his new address, and have added his details to a website of most wanted paedophiles.

Jason Waller was convicted of indecent assaults in January 2000 and sentenced to three years in prison.

After release he was ordered to notify police if he intended to change his address, but officers have now revealed they have had no contact with Waller since March.

This means he has failed to comply with requirements under the Sexual Offences Act.

Waller, 33, was convicted of offences committed on three children who were known to him in 1999.

Since 2006 he has slept rough or  in a tent at several locations  around Devon, including  Torquay, Brixham, Plymouth  and Tavistock.

After one breach in 2006 he told  Exeter Crown Court he was living in a tent on Maidencombe  beach at Watcombe, Torquay,  but when police checked his ‘address’ he had disappeared.

He was subsequently arrested  for begging in Guildford and  returned to Devon because he  had been circulated as a wanted  sex offender.

Police in Devon and Cornwall have exhausted all possible lines of enquiry regarding Waller and are now appealing to the public to come forward if they have any knowledge of his whereabouts.

Det Supt John Clements, head  of public protection at Devon  and Cornwall Constabulary  said: “By going missing, the risk  that Waller poses to children  has increased.

“So far, we have done our level  best to find him through conventional police means and now  we now want to extend our hunt  for him and using the power of  the internet to do just that.”

Waller is likely to be living a nomadic lifestyle and begging as a source of income, which he has done in the past.

Police checks show he has had no contact with family, nor sought medical treatment, nor has he a driving license or a passport.

Tax office records show he has not worked. His details have been circulated to all police forces across the country and have so far drawn a blank.

Police financial investigations have also proved negative which suggests that it is likely he will be sleeping rough somewhere or is being housed by someone.

Waller’s details have also been circulated to CEOP, the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre, for dissemination.

He has also been featured on the Crimestoppers website since May, without success.

A police spokesman said: "Our extensive enquiries have failed to locate Waller and so we are appealing to the public for any information regarding his whereabouts."

Anyone with any information regarding Waller is asked to contact police immediately on 08452 777444 or Cimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555111 quoting ref ED/09/2243.