HIS crimes were "at the bottom end of the scale". Nevertheless, the decision to keep Nicholas Rowley's name off the sex offender's register can only send out the wrong signal to parents.

Rowley has undoubtedly suffered for his foolishness in returning to an adult website which downloaded child pornography pictures on to his computer's hard drive. He now has a criminal record, he has lost his good name, and his career as an IT teacher at Joseph Rowntree School is in ruins.

Yet he has escaped the sex offender's register. Many will question that decision. As the NSPCC said today, this sort of crime helps to perpetuate the exploitation of children. Offenders should know that their crime is taken seriously, and that all the authorities are watching.

His name is to be added to the List 99 of sex offenders. In theory, this should ensure he never again works with children.

That is only right. Society's first priority is to protect children. Anyone who has a conviction of this sort must be barred from teaching permanently.

However, List 99 does not always do that. It was revealed earlier this year that some of those placed on the list were later given clearance by government ministers to go back into schools.

The scandal threatened to claim Education Secretary Ruth Kelly's job. Today she has put forward proposals to close these worrying loopholes. The Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Bill would set up a single inventory of individuals banned from working with children in England and Wales, combining List 99, a list used by the health service, and the sex offender's register.

This should make matters simpler - and hopefully safer - in the future.

Updated: 10:22 Wednesday, March 01, 2006