Many people will recoil in disgust that convicted sex offenders could be assigned their own ‘mentor’ here in Cumbria.

Given that these are deeply exploitative criminals who commit society’s most abhorrent crimes, what’s to stop them simply stringing along a well-meaning charity, simply to tick the ‘no danger to society’ box?

Wouldn’t it be better if rapists and child molesters learned that the only way society wants them to atone is through a very long loss of liberty where they have time to reflect on the appalling behaviour that put them there. The award-winning charity Re:Shape, based in York, says its purpose is ‘sexual harm awareness, prevention and education’. It aims to ensure that ‘community engagement and action leads to the end of sexual abuse and exploitation’.

Its hope is that offenders ‘recognise their inappropriate behaviour, are held account for their actions and given a chance to ‘grow, learn and change’.

But victims, their families and communities will need some convincing. However well-intended, the project seems to be underpinned by a naïve belief that sex offenders commit such acts with little to no awareness of the harm they cause or the damage they do to their victims. Most people would argue they know exactly what they’re doing and choose to do it anyway.