PAC: Angry locals hound NZ paedophile out of town
01 Mar 2009 6:02 PM
WELLINGTON, March 1 NZPA - Angry locals have hounded a convicted paedophile out of a small New Zealand town on Sunday.
Residents discovered a man who had been convicted of sex attacks on teenage boys had been put on home detention in the North Island town of Patea, TV3 News reported.
They said the man, who was serving the last six months of his sentence, was not welcome in town, which has a population of about 1200.
There was a march through the streets of Patea on Sunday, protesting the decision to move him to the town.
"The fact that he's at a high risk of reoffending and he has serial victims, that's why the town's rallied the way they have. We want our tamariki (children) safe," resident Trish Martin said.
"We were told he's here because there's no where else for him, well that's not our problem."
Residents had set up a 24-hour watch on the home that was housing the man.
Protesters said they were furious they had to find out about the sex offender themselves and there had been no consultation about his placement in a residential area.
Police and the probation service moved the man later on Sunday because of the risk to his safety.
