A PERVERT from Carlisle who admitted raping a child had previously been prosecuted in west Cumbria for horrific child sex - under an entirely different name.

Mark Parker's sordid past came to light this week after he admitted raping a schoolgirl.

At Carlisle Crown Court, the defendant entered a guilty plea to the historic allegation.

He also admitted a sex assault against the same child.

The girl was of primary school age at the time he committed the two offences.

It has now emerged that the defendant had served several years in jail for a string of sex crimes against eight children - but when he was jailed for those he was called Nicholas McKeerrow.

He was allowed to change his name to Mark Parker.

The News & Star has learned that Parker, now of Central Avenue, Harraby, Carlisle, was jailed in 2005 for 11 child sex offences.

A hearing before Carlisle Crown Court in November of 2005 heard that the former Sellafield worker sexually abused eight children, both boys and girls.

The judge regarded the case as so serious that he imposed an indefinite jail term.

Judge Alan Taylor said at the time the offences were very serious because of their persistent nature and the number of children involved.

He ruled that the defendant, then a 43-year-old married man, living at Wasdale Park, Seascale, would not be released until he could convince the Parole Board he is no longer a risk to children.

Judge Taylor recommended that McKerrow - now Parker - should serve a minimum of four years in prison for his attacks on five boys and three girls, who were aged between seven and 13.

He actually served more than seven years.

He was also banned from working on his family farm, or working with children.

His defence barrister said McKerrow, as he was then, said the defendant was horrified by his own actions, and full of remorse.

After the 2005 hearing, the judge passed an indeterminate sentence for the protection of the public.

Home Office response

THE HOME Office says that it can withhold the right of a convicted sex offender to change his or her name - but Cumbria Police said it does not have that power.

A Home Office spokesperson said: “The UK has some of the toughest powers in the world to deal with sex offenders and there are measures in place to stop individuals changing their name in order to hide a criminal past.

“The failure of a sex offender to tell police of a name change within three days is a criminal offence with a maximum prison sentence of five years, and the Home Office reserves the right not to issue a document in a new name to a registered sex offender.”

Cumbria Police pointed out that it as an organisation could now, however, prevent a sex offender from changing his or her name.

A spokesman said: “There is no legislation or powers that allow police forces to stop a convicted sex offender from changing their name. “

“However, a convicted sex offender has an obligation under the terms of their notification requirements (Section 83 of the Sexual Offenders Act 2003) to inform police of any change of name. Failure to do this would be a breach of their notification requirements.

“Managing the potential risk posed by registered sex offenders within the community is complex area of business for all police forces. In Cumbria, we use every available power to manage and reduce the risk convicted sex offenders pose to the public.”

The Home office says where the police are notified a sex offender has changed their name, the offender’s records are updated on the Sex Offenders Register and the Police National Computer.

The Disclosure and Barring Service aims to ensure employers have the right information to help protect those in their care.

There is no suggestion that Parker did not notify the authorities of his new name.