Police in Britain admit there was a failure in the system in relation to Ian Huntley.
The former school caretaker has been given two life sentences for the murders of Soham schoolgirls Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman in August 2002.
Huntley was found guilty earlier today by the jury in the Old Bailey in London. His former girlfriend, Maxine Carr, was found guilty of conspiring to pervert the course of justice, but was acquitted on two charges of assisting an offender.
Carr was sentenced to three and a half years, but will serve only half that time in jail.
Following the verdict, it was revealed that Huntley had earlier faced a rape charge, allegations of indecently assaulting an 11-year-old girl and also having sex with a string of underage schoolgirls.
He had been brought to the attention of Humberside Police ten times and North East Lincolnshire Social Services on five occasions.
British Home Secretary David Blunkett has ordered an inquiry into how Huntley got a job as a school caretaker in Soham.
The Cambridgeshire Police Chief Constable, Tom Lloyd, has welcomed the inquiry. Speaking at a press conference in London, he said vetting procedures would need to be looked at.
The families of the schoolgirls have publicly thanked all those who helped bring Ian Huntley to justice. Leslie and Sharon Chapman and Kevin and Nicola Wells sat side by side at a press conference in central London this afternoon.
ISPCC urges better vetting mechanism
The Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children has again called for the immediate introduction of adequate vetting and recruitment procedures for all those working with children in the Republic.
The Society was responding to the sentencing of Ian Huntley.
The ISPCC says vetting procedures in Ireland are grossly inadequate in comparison with systems operating in the United Kingdom.
