Hundreds of sex offenders who are supposed to be closely monitored have been missing for up to 14 years - but police have refused to name dozens in case they breach their 'human rights ' . Police forces across Britain have lost track of 396 registered sex offenders , including rapists and paedophiles , but they wo n't be identified in case it 'endangers their safety unnecessarily ' , one force said . The sex attackers are meant to be kept under close surveillance after being released from jail because many pose a 'risk of serious harm to the public ' . Scotland Yard , the UK 's largest force , has lost track of 167 sex offenders , including one who had been missing for 14 years . But figures released yesterday found that some have been missing for more than a decade . There are 23 from Greater Manchester are among the almost 400 missing nationally and police believe 11 have fled abroad and the other 12 are subject to 'periodic reviews ' in a bid to trace them . But the force said today it would not name them to protect their rights . A spokesman said : 'It is not the policy of GMP or the Police Service of England and Wales to routinely name sex offenders whether they are missing or not as this would be a breach of their human rights . This also may endanger their safety unnecessarily and may also lead to the identification of victims . ' Scotland Yard , the UK 's largest force , has lost track of 167 sex offenders , including one who had been missing for 14 years . Among the missing is failed asylum seeker Patrick Mosekwe Kanda , 36 , who was jailed in 1998 for raping a child . When the Congolese national was released in 2003 he was allowed to live at an address in Dagenham , East London , instead of being deported . Sara Payne , whose daughter Sarah was abducted and killed in 2000 by convicted paedophile Roy Whiting , said : 'It 's completely unacceptable that any registered sex offenders have disappeared from authority management , putting the public at risk ' Like other dangerous predators , Kanda was placed on the sex offenders register and was supposed to be monitored by police and probation officials . But Scotland Yard last month admitted it had lost track of the rapist two years ago and issued an appeal for information relating to his whereabouts . A spokesman for the Met force blamed London 's 'diverse multicultural population ' for losing so many sex offenders and admitted that many have probably fled the country . Last night Sara Payne , whose daughter Sarah was abducted and killed in 2000 by convicted paedophile Roy Whiting , said : 'It 's completely unacceptable that any registered sex offenders have disappeared from authority management , putting the public at risk . 'It 's time to take some serious pro-active action to bring them back under the police radar . ' The NSPCC described the figures as 'alarming ' and said there are 900 police staff currently responsible for monitoring 46,000 registered sex offenders . This equates to one officer being tasked with monitoring 51 sex criminals . Jon Brown , the NSPCC 's head of sexual abuse programmes , said : 'About half of those on the register are offenders who have raped or sexually assaulted children , or committed online child abuse image offences . However most just receive one police visit a year after they have been released from prison . 'The monitoring of registered sex offenders in communities needs urgent attention by the government to ensure it is fit for purpose . ' 'It seems this area is currently chronically under resourced and the number of dangerous individuals on the register is increasing yearly . ' Claude Knights , chief executive of children 's charity Kidscape , added : 'We know that sex offenders are at their most volatile and dangerous when they are living in chaotic and unsettled circumstances . 'Registered sex offenders who are of no fixed abode are very difficult to assess and monitor , and most importantly are not complying with notification requirements . 'The safety of our communities depends on predators being on the appropriate radars . We have a duty of care to potential victims . ' Protection : Greater Manchester Police ( headquarters pictured ) said today it would not name the missing sex offenders 'as this would be a breach of their human rights ' The figures emerged from Freedom of Information requests submitted to all police forces in Britain . One convicted sex offender from Gloucestershire has been missing since the year 2000 , another in Northumbria disappeared in May 2002 . Meanwhile Humberside Police said the whereabouts of one registered sex offender has remained a mystery since September 2004 . West Midlands Police said 39 registered sex offenders were missing , including one since 2006 and nine who have disappeared between 2010 and 2012 . In Manchester , police have lost track of 25 sex attackers , including one who disappeared in September 2005 and three others who went missing in 2006 . Both Essex and Sussex police forces said 11 registered sex offenders are missing from their respective areas , while Cambridgeshire Police said it has lost track of 10 on their list . A Home Office spokesman said : 'The UK has some of the toughest powers in the world to deal with sex offenders and we are committed to ensuring the system is as robust as possible . 'It is for the police to manage offenders in their area , but we work closely with forces to ensure legislation is effective and that officers have all the tools they need . '
Forces across Britain have lost track of 396 registered offenders . This included rapists and paedophiles after they were released from prison . crime Yard , UK 's largest employer , has lost track of 167 sex offenders . Greater Manchester Police lost 23 - but police n't blame them over human rights .