Kirsty Mckenzie
ELECTRONIC ankle tags that can monitor sexual assault offenders are to be rolled out in Catalunya as part of a pilot scheme.
The ‘rapist tags’ will be one of the measures courts can impose on criminals convicted of sexual assault offences, such as rape.
The device will be fitted with a GPS and alerts the probation service if the criminal goes near their victim or close to banned areas.
Offenders will then face further sentences, including jail time, if they are caught breaching an order imposed by a court.
The scheme, backed by the Ministry of Justice, aims to allow closer monitoring of offenders and reduce the number of repeat offenses.
The GPS location tags will be rolled out as part of a pilot test that will be launched in 2022.
If successful, the decision on whether to impose a GPS tag will then be at the discretion of the sentencing judge or magistrate.
Minister of Justice Lourdes Ciuro said: “These bracelets will notify us if a person is approaching a place or person that they should not go near.
“These tags have already brought enormous benefit to us as they mean we can bring an offender back into prison if they breach their court order.”
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