NORTH Yorkshire Police have this afternoon performed a major u-turn and released the identity of a registered sex offender who is wanted by the force.

After twice refusing requests from The Northern Echo, saying the information "constitutes personal data and disclosure ... would contravene data protection principles", the force revealed the name of the wanted man.

He is Yuan Wei Zhang, aged 26, who is the only registered sex offender wanted by the force.

Zhang, who lived in London, used email to befriend a young woman from Scarborough before meeting her at an address in the town in June 2007 where he raped her.

The rape was reported to the police and he was arrested a few days after the offence. He was later charged with three counts of rape and brought before the courts.

Zhang was then given bail to attend York Crown Court for trial. He failed to attend his court hearing and was tried and sentenced in his absence in July 2008. A warrant was issued for his arrest, and police believe he has since returned to China.

Chief Inspector Kerrin Smith, Head of North Yorkshire Police’s Protecting Vulnerable People Unit, said: "It was for this reason that there was no investigative requirement to release the identity and photograph of the offender in the Yorkshire region and the UK.

“However, in the interests of reassuring people in North Yorkshire and the wider community, we feel there is no reason to withhold Zhang’s identity in this case. "We would ask the public to notify the police if they have any information to Zhang's whereabouts.

“I hope this clarifies the force’s position and we apologise for any confusion and concern that has been raised.”

Read the full story in tomorrow's Northern Echo