POLICE in Wiltshire are unable to find four sex offenders who have slipped through the net designed to protect children's safety.

But police are not revealing details or photographs of the offenders because they do not consider them to be a dangerous risk to the public.

The news comes as Wiltshire Police reveals for the first time how 217 sex offenders are registered in the county.

The relaxation of rules comes after a wave of public pressure urging police forces nationwide to reveal details about paedophiles living in the community.

Chf Supt Gary Chatfield of Wiltshire Police said investigations have been launched and officers are "actively searching" for the missing perverts.

He said: "Three of those missing have committed sexual offences within the family environment.

"There is no such thing as a certainty that a sex offender so determined and cunning will not re-offend.

"We take the management of registered sex offenders very seriously and have in place a number of systems and checks."

Det Insp Kevin Capstick, head of the Force Intelligence Bureau, which is responsible for maintaining the Sexual Offenders Register said: "Failing to comply with the Sexual Offenders Register is a criminal offence and investigations are taking place.

"We are not at the stage of disclosing photos, names or addresses. We look at the issue of disclosure on a case by case basis."

Police chiefs in Wiltshire have said 34 registered offenders are still in jail with 97 per cent of sex pests complying with the register's condition.

Det Insp Capstick said police in the county were able to keep track of perverts and sex pests using the register, with each case judged on the risk to the public.

He said: "The fact that we know where 98 per cent of sex offenders are if an incident should occur is encouraging. The biggest fear we would have would be if we lost that control.

'"It may be that we need to make public disclosure if we consider the offender is a serious risk to the community."

In some cases teachers, parents and neighbours will be told about the offender moving into the community, but police chiefs believe releasing the names and addresses of perverts and paedophiles to the general public would be a big danger.

Dangerous paedophiles released from jail can be put under 24-hour police surveillance but Chf Supt Chatfield said that could stretch vital resources.