BALLYNAHINCH Sinn Fein councillor, Mickey Coogan, is demanding answers after it emerged that one of the north’s most notorious paedophiles was found to be renting a house on a housing estate in Ballynahinch.
“This man has multiple convictions for some of the worst cases of child sex abuse in the country, and would still be living at a private rental address in Ballynahinch if his presence there had not been brought to the attention of local people.
“I first became aware of this situation after being contacted by a number of concerned residents and I immediately contacted the PSNI, who confirmed that they had visited the property and that the man had decided to move after a number of local people picketed the house.
“It then came to my attention that he had been seen at another address in the town, and that local people from a number of estates were about to take matters into their own hands. I contacted the PSNI and again explained the situation and they advised the man and his associates that they were at risk,” he said.
Councillor Coogan added that it was his under-standing that the PSNI was not informed, or consulted, about the person in question moving into the area.
“If this is the case then serious questions need to be asked and assurances given that this is not happening elsewhere and that it will not happen again.
“This man should not be allowed to live anywhere near children and in my opinion should never be allowed to live unsupervised.
“We thought that the man and his associates had left Ballynahinch, but I was informed on Wednesday of last week that he had returned to the same address to which he had moved after being initially discovered in the town.
“The PSNI visited the property and again informed the occupants of a risk to their safety. If these people choose to ignore the advice given to them by the PSNI, it is a matter for them, likewise, I can only advise people to let the PSNI deal with this,” he said.