Steven Beech: Now living in Scotland

He believes there should now be a UK-wide strategy to pay for the monitoring of serial sex offenders who have completed their sentences.

Beech, who is originally from West Bromwich, is the subject of a Sex Offenders' Order issued in England.

The indefinite order included a ban on living with a woman without the written consent of the area's chief constable or being drunk outside any house.

He came to Scotland in March after living in police stations following his release from prison.

'Live by the sea'

In a letter to the SNP's Mr Lochhead, Justice Minister Jim Wallace revealed that the cost of monitoring Beech was between �2,000 and �4,000 a week.

Mr Lochhead said: "I'm stunned to learn that it could be costing the taxpayer �200,000 per year to keep this man in Aberdeen.

"He ended up in Aberdeen because he wanted to live by the sea, but you could probably hire your own island for that kind of money.

Richard Lochhead: UK-wide strategy

"I don't have any problem with money being spent to protect the public, but this is a ridiculous situation that was dumped on Aberdeen's doorstep.

"The circumstances of this case are certainly out of the ordinary and it should be looked at carefully to see what lessons should be learned."

Beech, who was jailed for nine years at the Old Bailey in 1992 for rape, was released in 1998.

Since leaving jail he has lived in Sheffield and Cambridgeshire.

He was flown to Aberdeen two months ago by Cambridgeshire Police.