VIKTORIJA BARANAUSKAITE FROM DONCASTER ADDED TO UK SEX OFFENDERS REGISTER AFTER LITHUANIAN SEXUAL ASSAULT

In a significant development within the realm of public safety and criminal justice, Viktorija Baranauskaite, a woman originally from Lithuania and residing in Doncaster, has been formally placed on the United Kingdom’s Sex Offenders’ Register following her criminal conviction abroad. The case came to light when South Yorkshire Police, upon reviewing her background, identified her past conviction for a sexual assault involving a minor in Lithuania.

Baranauskaite, aged 32 and living on Ellerker Avenue in the Hexthorpe area of Doncaster, was scheduled to appear before the magistrates to address her inclusion on the register. However, she failed to attend the hearing despite the court having arranged for an interpreter to assist her and her solicitor, James Gray, being present. The court proceeded with the case in her absence, and the magistrates ultimately imposed a notification order on her, requiring her to comply with the conditions set out in the Sex Offenders’ Register.

During the proceedings, Mr. Gray explained that he could not account for her absence and requested an adjournment to allow her to attend. Nevertheless, the magistrates decided to proceed with the hearing despite her non-attendance. The police officer involved, Pc Lynette Temperton-Ball from Doncaster’s public protection unit, confirmed that her office had received her criminal record earlier in the month. The record revealed that Baranauskaite had been convicted in November 2008 by a district court in Telsiai, Lithuania, of sexually assaulting a minor.

According to Pc Temperton-Ball, the Lithuanian conviction was deemed comparable to a sexual abuse charge under English law. As a result, she met the criteria for inclusion on the UK Sex Offenders’ Register for a period of ten years. This registration entails strict conditions, including the obligation to provide police with her current address, submit to regular checks at her residence, and notify authorities of any changes to her personal details.

Interestingly, her address on Ellerker Avenue is not the only location associated with registered sex offenders in the area. Another individual, Martin Gazi, aged 39, also residing on Ellerker Avenue, was similarly ordered to register after admitting to a conviction for rape in Slovakia. Gazi’s conviction was obtained in December 2005 at the Roznava District Court.

Police officials have indicated that they are receiving an increasing number of criminal records from Eastern European countries, which are leading to more cases being brought before UK courts. Under current legislation, any offender convicted of relevant sexual offences must notify police within three days of their conviction or caution. This notification must include their full name, date of birth, current address, any other addresses where they regularly stay, their national insurance number, and details of any passports they hold. Any subsequent changes to these details or stays at previously undeclared addresses must also be reported.

Details regarding the specific offence for which Baranauskaite received a six-month prison sentence have not been disclosed, as police have not been provided with that information. Nonetheless, her inclusion on the register signifies a serious step in monitoring and managing individuals with a history of sexual offences, especially those with convictions from abroad.