Fewer than half the serious criminals who may have escaped vetting procedures in the latest British Home Office blunder have been entered onto the Police National Computer (PNC), the Home Secretary said today.
John Reid acknowledged there had been "fundamental flaws" in the system for processing details about people convicted of crimes abroad. In a statement to MPs, he said police had identified the 540 "most serious" cases among a pool of more than 27,500 offenders.
So far, details of 260 have been entered on the PNC, he said. But 280 cannot be put into the system until more details are obtained from the countries where the crimes took place, he added.
When details of the Home Office gaffe emerged yesterday, the Association of Chief Police Officers (Acpo) voiced concerns that some of the offenders may have escaped vetting measures designed to protect children and vulnerable adults.