Derbyshire police tried to keep Polish rapist's name secret Published duration 29 April 2016

image caption Shirebrook has experienced a large influx of people from Eastern Europe in recent years

Police tried to conceal the identity of a Polish rapist in a Derbyshire town where there have been tensions over an influx of Eastern European migrants.

Derbyshire Constabulary asked for Marcin Jaworski to be added to the sex offenders register, but did not want his name to be published by the media.

It argued he may leave the Shirebrook area to avoid public attention owing to hostility against foreign nationals.

However, police were successfully challenged by the Derbyshire Times

'Community tensions'

At the hearing at Chesterfield Magistrates' Court, reporter Jon Cooper argued that publication of the Polish national's was in the public interest and in the interests of public safety.

The judge said the media plays a "vital role" in upholding open justice, and rejected the police's application for a reporting restriction.

image caption Police said there are "widely reported" tensions in Shirebrook, where there has been an influx of Eastern European people who work for Sports Direct

Shirebrook has been referred to as "Sports Direct town" due to the estimated 1,500 people that have moved there to work for the retailer - mainly agency workers from countries such as Poland, Romania, Bulgaria, Latvia, Lithuania and Albania.

Supt Jim Allen, of Derbyshire Police, said: "Reporting restrictions were requested in this case because of concerns raised by local officers.

"There have been widely reported community tensions in the Shirebrook area, in the past, linked to the large number of Eastern European people who now live and work in the area.

"We respect the decision of the judge who ruled the case should be heard without restriction."

Rape happened in Poland

Mr Jaworski was questioned by police after being found drinking in a prohibited area within Shirebrook.

Further checks revealed he had been convicted of rape in Poland in 2014, so police applied for an order requiring him to sign the sex offenders register.

The hearing was adjourned until 5 May because Mr Jaworski, 20, of Eland Road, Langwith Junction, Shirebrook, was not present.

Related Topics Shirebrook

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