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Despite the alarming number, police have reassured the public that robust measures are in place to manage risk and reoffending rates remain “very low”.

The data reveals the latest figures by council area and postcode.

EH54 – which includes West Lothian area Livingston – has the highest number with 48.

There are 635 registered sex offenders (RSOs) living in Edinburgh and the Lothians, according to new figures published by Police Scotland.

EH6, which covers Leith as well as Newhaven, and EH7, which includes Restalrig and Craigentinny, both have 38 RSOs.

A spokesperson for Police Scotland said: “Police Scotland, working with our MAPPA (Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements) partners, manage registered sex offenders (RSOs) across all of Scotland's communities.

“Every single offender is assessed and managed in line with the risk they present. Sexual re-offending rates of RSOs remain very low.

“While we can never completely eliminate risk, Police Scotland and MAPPA partners use robust risk assessment processes, and a range of investigative tools including the latest technologies, to manage RSOs, mitigate risk and to protect the public."

The EH postcode area, also known as the Edinburgh postcode area, is a group of 54 postcode districts for post towns: Armadale, Balerno, Bathgate, Bo'ness, Bonnyrigg, Broxburn, Currie, Dalkeith, Dunbar, East Linton, Edinburgh, Gorebridge, Gullane, Haddington, Heriot, Humbie, Innerleithen, Juniper Green, Kirkliston, Kirknewton, Lasswade, Linlithgow, Livingston, Loanhead, Longniddry, Musselburgh, Newbridge, North Berwick, Pathhead, Peebles, Penicuik, Prestonpans, Rosewell, Roslin, South Queensferry, Tranent, Walkerburn, West Calder and West Linton.

*Area names are given as a rough geographical guide

Number of RSOs in community by EH postcode

EH1-10

EH10- 11

EH11-43

EH12-13

EH13-7

EH14-37

EH15-15

EH16-42

EH17-20

EH18-1

EH19-3

EH2 -Exempted under FOI(S)A

EH20-7

EH21-23

EH22-26

EH23-3

EH24-2

EH25-2

EH26-8

EH27-2

EH28-2

EH29-2

EH3- 10

EH30-3

EH31-2

EH32-7

EH33-4

EH35-1

EH36- Exempted under FOI(S)A

EH39 -2

EH4- 34

EH40 -2

EH41 -6

EH42 -6

EH43 -Exempted under FOI(S)A

EH44 -1

EH45 - 1

EH46 - 1

EH47 - 22

EH48 - 29

EH49 - 16

EH5 - 16

EH51 -12

EH52 - 19

EH53 - 8

EH54 -48

EH55 - 8

EH6 - 38

EH7 - 38

EH8 - 16

EH9 - 6

Edinburgh crime: The number of registered sex offenders living in Edinburgh and the Lothians postcode