ALL serious offenders could be tagged within five years, according to Home Secretary David Blunkett.

Mr Blunkett was in Salford yesterday for the launch of a pioneering tracking system that will allow police to pinpoint paedophiles and other offenders in Greater Manchester.

Sex offenders, habitual criminals and violent husbands are being fitted with satellite tracking technology in the first scheme of its kind in Europe.

If the scheme proves successful over the next 12 months, the government is planning a rapid expansion of the technology.

Mr Blunkett said the scheme could be used for all serious offenders within five years. He said: "It could be used for all serious offenders and repeat offenders when they come out of prison, not as an alternative but as an addition to what we have at the moment.

"It could also be used for youngsters and those on intensive supervision programmes in the community."

Prisons Minister Paul Goggins, Labour MP for Wythenshawe and Sale East, agreed that global positioning trackers would be "commonplace within five years".

He said: "For victims of crime, whether domestic violence or sex crimes, this will assure them that if there is any breach of conditions, we will find out about it straight away.

"The message for sex offenders is: We are watching you."

Paul Cavadino, chief executive of crime reduction charity Nacro, said satellite tracking would be a "disproportionate response" in less serious cases.

But Bob Mathers, acting chief officer for the Greater Manchester Probation Area, said: "We are talking about people who are selected because there is particular concern about them. They are not petty offenders." Tweet