A legal loophole allows individuals convicted of sex offenses to change their names through deed poll with relative ease, raising alarms among victim advocates who fear it enables predators to evade accountability and re-offend. The process, described as simpler than applying for a credit card and costing as little as £14.95, allows offenders to disappear from official radars and make it nearly impossible for their victims to know their whereabouts or past convictions.
One case highlighted involves Jason Brown, 50, who reportedly changed his name up to 20 times. Brown, first convicted of child sex offenses in 2014, was able to assume new identities after his release from prison. Women he encountered were unaware of his history of sexual violence due to the anonymity afforded by name changes.
Another instance involves Clive Bundy, who was jailed for 15 years for raping his daughter over a nine-year period. After his release on parole, having served half his sentence, Bundy reportedly began living under a new name, 'Claire Fox.' His daughter was informed of his new identity by a victim support officer who stated he had Bundy's permission. Baroness (Claire) Fox raised concerns about this in the House of Lords in 2023, noting that a "sensitivity application clause" can allow transgender individuals to avoid disclosing previous identities, a loophole Bundy allegedly exploited.
Victims' advocates argue that this ease of name change poses a significant risk to public safety. One woman, who escaped a violent, controlling, and sexually abusive ex-husband, found that after his release from prison and subsequent name change, victim support services could not disclose his new identity due to privacy rights. He moved to a location near her, and his new partner was unaware of his history until he attacked her again. The probation service reportedly failed to flag his past convictions, and he received a non-custodial sentence.
An estimated 60,000 to 85,000 individuals change their names annually via deed poll, though the government does not track these figures. While most name changes are for legitimate reasons such as marriage or divorce, the lack of robust tracking mechanisms is seen as an open invitation for offenders to conceal their past. The process typically involves signing a declaration witnessed by at least one person, and for most administrative purposes, a photocopy of this document suffices. Only a small percentage of individuals make their deed poll a public record through the Royal Courts of Justice.
Critics contend that the current system is inadequate, actively putting women and girls at risk. They call for a comprehensive reform to ensure that individuals posing a serious risk are properly tracked by criminal justice agencies.