Paedophile hounded out of two towns in the space of 24 hours

Questions after offender rehoused close to two schools

Questions have been raised over the rehabilitation of offenders in Fife after a convicted paedophile was hounded out of two communities in the space of just 24 hours.

Around 60 protesters gathered outside a property in Cowdenbeath’s Blamey Crescent on Wednesday after rumours swept the community a sex offender had been given accommodation there.

That was followed by similar scenes in Dunearn Drive, Kirkcaldy, on Thursday when it became apparent the same man was to be rehoused in a block of flats there.

The man was moved on again, but locals in Kirkcaldy are angry about the local authority’s decision to put him in a flat in close proximity to two schools and a well-used community centre.

One local, who did not wish to be named, told The Courier. “We’re told they’ve got to go somewhere, but nobody wants this sort of individual in beside us. Kids go past here and up to the shops all the time and who knows what might happen.”

The man previously served a prison sentence after admitting two charges of attempting to send sexual written communications to underage girls.

He was caught by a vigilante group after being identified by his partner because she recognised his genitals in photos he sent to decoys posing as underage girls. He thought he was “propositioning” girls aged 12 and 13 online – but was in fact talking to decoys from the Child Protectors Scotland paedophile hunter group.

He sent two of their decoys – one pretending to be a 12-year-old girl, the other pretending to be 13 – pictures of his penis during sordid online chats.

The group later confronted him on his doorstep in Glenrothes in a sting that was broadcast over Facebook and viewed by thousands of people.

Around a dozen police officers were called to the first protest in Cowdenbeath on Wednesday and police condemned the throwing of missiles at the property.

A spokesperson for Fife Council stressed they have a duty to accommodate offenders and added that levels of risk are carefully assessed, risk management strategies put in place and ongoing monitoring undertaken.

Nobody wants this sort of individual in beside us. Kids go past here and up to the shops all the time and who knows what might happen