A VICTIM of one of Oxford’s most notorious paedophiles has backed the introduction of a ‘Sarah’s Law’ for Oxfordshire.

The new scheme, which will start in August, will allow members of the public to ask police to investigate whether a person in contact with their children is a convicted sex offender.

Officers will then reveal details about the person confidentially if they think it is in the child’s interests.

Det Insp Nick Deacon, of Thames Valley Police’s protecting vulnerable people team, said people would only be alerted if a child was in danger.

And he urged people in Oxfordshire to act responsibly with any revelations, to prevent vigilante attacks that may drive paedophiles underground.

Last night a man who said he was abused by a serial paedophile expressed a cautious welcome for the scheme.

The 39-year-old man, who cannot be named, said he was attacked in Oxford almost 30 years ago.

His abuser has since been jailed for attacking more than five boys.

He said: “I think it is a great idea, but I do worry in close knit communities there could be a lynch mob mentalilty.

“We all know how Chinese whispers start, and word gets around quickly in places like Oxford.

“Obviously there is something wrong with these paedophiles. But in some places people could easily stir up trouble.”

The scheme was piloted in four police forces from September 2008, and one in 10 calls to police uncovered a hidden criminal past of someone with access to a child.

The pilot began after a high profile campaign by Sara Payne, whose daughter Sarah was killed by convicted peadophile Roy Whiting in July 2000.

Thames Valley Police will become one of 18 new forces to allow a parent, carer, guardian, or other relevant interested party, to ask whether someone with access to children has committed a child sex crime.

Multi Agency Public Protection Arrangements are currently in place in the county to monitor all known and convicted sex offenders in the community.

Mr Deacon said many more sex offenders are not monitored because they may not have a conviction, or their term on the sex offenders' register has lapsed.

He said: “This scheme is an important development in protecting children.

“It gives members of the public the ability to check out concerns they have about protecting children, and will help increase public confidence in the police and other authorities as part of their role in monitoring sex offenders.

“It is a concern that information will get out, and vigilantism is always a worry, but we hope the public will deal with this information responsibly.”

The scheme is set to be in place across the UK in 12 months.