POLICE and education chiefs today pledged new measures following the conviction of paedophile Alan Hopkinson.

As he began a life sentence today for kidnapping, imprisoning and assaulting two ten-year-old girls, and for 11 counts of indecent assault on two other girls, school chiefs pledged more checks to protect children.

The kidnapped girls' school came under fire at the time for not reporting their disappearance, and questions were raised later as to why it was three days before police found them.

Today, education chiefs promised new measures to alert Sussex teachers sooner when a child fails to turn up for class.

Hopkinson, 45, snatched the two girls on route to school but the alarm was not raised until they failed to return home.

Now a new working party, formed by county council leaders and Sussex Police, has called on parents to help keep teachers better informed of children who are sick. The Department for Education and Employment will be sending new guidelines to schools throughout the county by September.

Pete Weston, assistant director for education at East Sussex County Council and the chairman of the newly formed working party, said:

"We are looking at how schools could be more proactive in encouraging parents to keep in contact with schools and we are giving schools guidance about how to prioritise pupils who do not turn up.

"I cannot see a return to individual class registration. Schools already have a statutory duty to check pupils twice a day. I am not being complacent, but our current procedure is already clear."

Meanwhile, police admit they too have learned lessons from the case.

Amassive search was launched for Hopkinson's two victims in the immediate vicinity of their homes, but the girls were rescued 20 miles away by officers who had nothing to do with the hunt.

Police may in future call neighbouring stations and ask officers to search the homes of known child offenders in their areas.

Det Supt Jeremy Paine, who headed the hunt, said Hopkinson's life sentence was "absolutely right" to ensure the safety of other children.

He said: "This was the worst case of this nature I have ever come across and listening to the accounts in court was harrowing. Hopkinson is a tremendously dangerous man."

East Sussex Social Services has set up a Helpline 01323 740368 for anyone who thinks they may have been victimised by Hopkinson and may need support.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.