A REVIEW of sentencing and housing of sex offenders is required to protect children according to a Glasgow MSP.

Paul Martin, Labour Provan MSP, has called for housing associations to know if an applicant has child sex convictions.

Mr Martin said it was one of the recommendations of the cross-party Justice sub-committee, but has not be implemented.

He said he does not accept the argument there are human rights implications that prevents it.

The MSP has been campaigning for communities to have control over whether sex offenders can move in since the murder of eight year-old Mark Cummings in Royston in 2004 by convicted offender Stuart Leggate.

Two years later the committee issued 33 recommendations including the disclosure to housing officials of sex offences.

He has also called for tougher sentencing for sex offenders and greater restrictions on their liberty after release.

Mr Martin said: “It is despicable that we have people who commit armed robbery and they get higher tariff then someone who rapes a child.

“I am not convinced that sex offender tariffs are robust enough.”

The MSP said he will be gathering signatures for a petition this weekend in Glasgow calling for tougher action.

He added: “As it stands these people on release are hidden from view and have their freedom and can live where they like.

“If you commit acts against children there should be lifelong restrictions on your liberty.”

Mr Martin has put a motion before the Scottish Parliament seeking fellow MSPs support.

It calls for “a requirement for registered sex offenders to disclose information about previous convictions on housing applications”.

He said: “There are community concerns about what are considered the disproportionately high number of sex offenders housed in deprived areas and many people consider it essential for the risks posed by serious sex offenders in communities across Scotland to be examined.”

Mr Martin and housing officials are concerned that when people are released from prison and they are seeking social housing they are placed where there are available empty homes, which is mainly in the poorer areas.

Blochairn Housing Association which has properties in the wider community where Mark Cummings was murdered already asks about sex convictions on its application forms.

Senior officer, Michael Carberry, said there needs to be changes to how and where people are housed.

He said: “There’s never been a review of the National Accommodation Strategy .There are serious flaws and it is time for a root and branch review.”