Fearsome reminder of Soham murders as 13,000 child workers escape checks

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More than 13,000 people working with children have not passed security checks introduced by the Government in the wake of the Soham murders.

The unchecked employees include teachers, caretakers, dinner ladies and lollipop men.

One local authority - Hartlepool Borough Council - has 3,415 staff yet to receive clearance from the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB).

The revelation raises the possibility that sex offenders may have slipped through the net.

The checks were introduced after Ian Huntley secured a job as a school caretaker - despite having been investigated by police over allegations of rape and underage sex. He went on to kill ten-year-olds Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman in Soham.

Every employee working with children is now required to undergo a CRB check before taking up a post.

But the £400million CRB database, run by Capita - a private contractor with close links to Labour - has suffered delays, meaning that thousands have started work before receiving clearance.

Freedom of Information requests sent to 150 English local authorities revealed:

Cumbria County Council has 1,892 staff yet to pass CRB checks.

Essex County Council admits 922 teachers and 536 supply staff remain unchecked.

Leeds City Council has 194 teachers and 412 'non-teaching support staff' yet to receive clearance.

Shadow Home Secretary David Davis said: "The Government has failed to properly enforce its child protection laws."

A Department for Children, Schools and Families spokesman said: "All staff will have been checked against List 99 (another sex offender database). Staff joining since 2006 will also have been required to have a CRB check."

Capita said it "consistently hits and exceeds its key performance indicators".