A REPORT had been released showing the number of registered sex offenders in London's boroughs.

The Met Police's annual Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (Mappa) report says Lewisham has the highest number in the capital.

Mappa is a national system which brings together police, probation, social services and other agencies to monitor dangerous offenders in the community after release from jail.

This is the sixth year in which annual reports have been published, following the implementation of Mappa throughout the country in 2001.

In Lewisham there are 174 registered sex offenders - the most out of all of London's 33 boroughs. In nearby Greenwich, there are 101 registered sex offenders.

There are just five in the City of London, which was bottom of the list. Next lowest was Kingston-upon-Thames, with 51.

Superintendent Ian Mill of Lewisham police said: "The number of sex offenders living within different boroughs varies as identified by this year's Mappa report.

"This may be attributed to a number of factors including an area's population density, demographics, the location of probation hostels and the prevalence of rented accommodation.

"We can reassure Londoners sexual offenders are closely monitored and supervised by police and other agencies regardless of where they may live or their personal circumstances."

There were 164 sex offenders living in Lewisham between April 2005 and March last year.