FIVE Oxfordshire people have applied to find out if anyone in regular contact with their children is a convicted paedophile, in the first month of a police scheme.

The scheme, called Sarah’s Law, gives parents and carers the right to information about previous sex offences in some cases.

Officers hope it will help protect children – but information will only be revealed if they think it is in the child’s interest.

Insp Nick Deacon, of Thames Valley Police’s Protecting Vulnerable People team, said no information had so far been disclosed.

He said Thames Valley Police had received 26 applications, of which three have been referred to children’s social care. None of the cases involved Oxford.

He added: “The scheme is going well, we have been able to allay a number of peoples’ concerns.”

Oxfordshire has 316 convicted sex offenders.

Sarah’s Law is named after Sarah Payne, eight, who was kidnapped and murdered in July 2000 by Roy Whiting.