The Home Office launched an urgent review of one of its leading security providers today, following an investigation by an undercover reporter into electronic tagging.

Group 4 Securicor Justice Services Ltd (G4S) is being investigated after a BBC documentary alleged dozens of tagged offenders go unmonitored every week because of faulty equipment and poor management.

The film, from the BBC's Inside Out team, focused on G4S's operation in the East Midlands, where more than 1,000 offenders are kept off the streets through electronic tagging.

Using hidden microphones and cameras the reporter recorded G4S staff claiming openly that convicted paedophiles and a killer were walking around unmonitored.

One staff member claimed: "I've got three paedophiles walking around not monitored."

Another added: "That's good is it? You think this company is doing good? It's c***.

"I tell you what, I wish the papers would get to know about it because it would shut them down within months."

Footage also shows instances of offenders going "missing" from the monitoring system because the equipment has lost signal.

"All those times it (the Home Monitoring Unit) is on missing status it isn't recording what they are doing," another staff member claimed.

"We don't know, we cannot retrieve the information. We don't know what they're doing. They could have been in Barbados for a week while it is on missing status, we wouldn't know."

Another monitoring officer said he worked on the premise that one in seven monitoring units he installed would actually work.

A spokeswoman for the Home Office said their contract with G4S is now under review.

"Public protection is the Government's first priority," she said. "The findings of this programme are of concern.

"We are reviewing the contract and will be asking G4S urgent questions to ensure these allegations are thoroughly investigated and issues arising are addressed."

Tagging, which was introduced eight years ago as a cost-effective alternative to jail, cost the Home Office £102.3 million in 2004/05.

G4S are the largest security company in the UK, monitoring nearly 70% of tagged offenders in England and Wales.

The BBC investigation was launched after a former office temp claimed she had been asked to falsify records showing how often offenders had broken their curfew.

The whistleblower, who would not be named, said: "Myself and a colleague would sit there thinking 'God, this just isn't right.

"'We're taking off so many hours, surely we shouldn't be doing this'."

Over a four-month period the reporter also filmed G4S staff allegedly fabricating records of installations to save money and meet government targets.

In another recording, a man accused of assault is seen breaching his bail conditions by drinking in his local pub just ten minutes after a monitoring officer removes his tag.

The company said they were following government guidelines by removing a tag the night before he was due in court.

Five members of staff have since been suspended by G4S.

Victor Bates, whose wife Marian was murdered in September 2003, has regularly called for the home monitoring system to be scrapped.

It emerged after his wife's death that Peter Williams, the man convicted of her murder, should have been wearing a tag at the time of the killing. He had removed it himself.

In the film, one female staff member was filmed discussing Mr Bates' complaints: "It's all Victor Bates. I wish he'd shut his trap. He wants seeing to."

Mr Bates said afterwards: "To stand there discussing what I feel is a rightful complaint is not acceptable.

"I would really like them to pack in the whole idea of tagging and do the right thing and lock dangerous people up."

The undercover reporter, who asked not to be named, said: "The whole place is a lesson in how not to run an operation.

"These people are supposed to be monitoring criminals but it was a catalogue of errors. There was no management leadership, there was faulty kit. It was just a joke."

A spokesman for G4S said: "We take the allegations put to us by the BBC very seriously. As soon as we were informed we suspended the five staff members in question and instituted a full and rigorous investigation.

"G4S takes its responsibility to the public very seriously and we will not tolerate such practices if they are proven.

"We are very disappointed that some staff may have engaged in practices which at the very least are unprofessional and at the worst constitute gross misconduct."

The company said they had not yet seen the programme and would respond fully to the allegations once it had been broadcast.

"We would like to stress that the problems highlighted to us by the BBC only related to a very small minority of staff located in the East Midlands region and are not reflective of our practice elsewhere."

Management at the Nottingham branch has been changed and an improvement programme has been put in place, the spokesman added.

"We have every confidence in our monitoring equipment. Our equipment meets the technical specification laid down by the Home Office and has been subject to rigorous testing. The Home Office Scientific Branch audited the equipment recently."

Inside Out is on BBC 1 in the East Midlands today at 7.30pm or can be viewed online at www.bbc.co.uk/insideout.

Paul Cavadino, Chief Executive of the crime reduction charity Nacro, said: "The BBC's findings are alarming for those of us who believe that electronic tagging can play a useful role in offenders' rehabilitation.

"Any failures of technology must be thoroughly investigated and rectified and any staff who have deliberately falsified records should be dismissed.

"However, electronic monitoring remains a valuable way of reducing reoffending by released prisoners."

He added: "Only four per cent of offenders subject to electronic monitoring are reconvicted of offences committed while they were tagged.

"Electronic tagging helps to stabilise offenders during the crucial early weeks after release from prison when the temptation to reoffend is at its highest.

"It is particularly effective when it is combined with probation supervision and with practical help with housing, employment and addiction problems."

Mr Cavadino said: "When a minority of prison staff are found guilty of abuses, we do not conclude that the prison system is useless and should be scrapped.

"It would be equally wrong to conclude that electronic tagging is of no use because some offenders and some staff have abused the system."

Copyright Press Association 2007

Don't miss the 24dash.com audio bulletins for the latest news and information - http://www.24dash.com/podcasts