SUSPECTED sex offenders should have a right to remain anonymous, according to one Swindon MP.

Sir Robert Buckland suggested that anyone arrested for crimes, including sex offences, should not have their names publicised unless they are charged.

The South Swindon representative told The Telegraph this would prevent innocent people from having their lives “trampled over and reputations trashed”.

The former Lord Chancellor said this potential change in the law would be about “ordinary people having a discretion-based system that could allow anonymity”.

Sir Robert went on to suggest it would be wrong to limit this anonymity to sex offences as anyone with a previously unblemished record could face significant reputational damage within their community if they were arrested as a suspect in a crime.

If this legal amendment was made, he explained that it would have to be balanced by a right for the police - possibly by applying to a court - to lift the anonymity where there was a public interest.

He cited cases such as Stuart Hall, the former BBC presenter convicted of indecent assault, where naming the suspect could help police track down other victims.

In the article, published today, Sir Robert said: “There is a world of difference between someone with lots of previous convictions who might not want their name publicised against someone with blameless good character.

“A magistrate or judge would then work it out on the balance of fairness. We have to think about people whose case might never go anywhere or who are victims of people pointing the finger because they want to have an impact.”

“For every story about someone trying to cover up their wrongdoing, there’s an innocent person who has had their life trampled over and reputation trashed.”

For example, retired teacher Christopher Jefferies was arrested for the murder of his neighbour Joanna Yates and received a lot of negative attention from the press and his community who speculated about whether he was guilty – then he was released on bail and taken out of the police’s inquiries.

The South Swindon MP’s comments come as Sir Cliff Richard prepares to join with other high profile victims of false sex abuse claims to call for law changes that would preserve the anonymity of suspects.

Sir Cliff said: “Being falsely accused myself and having that exposed in the media was the worst thing that has happened to me in my entire life. Even though untrue, the stigma is almost impossible to eradicate.”