Protestors Claim Victory As Alleged Sex Offender Leaves

Jubilant protesters are claiming to have run an alleged sex offender out of town.It followed a night of heightened tension in Cydach which saw a property wrecked and three arrests made.

Police have condemned the actions of a minority. The alleged offender concerned has apparently promised he will not return to Hillrise Park.

But one protester said she intended to alert communities where he re-settled next.

“We are all happy that he has gone,” she said. “It’s just bad that we had to go to these lengths. But we feel sorry for the people where he’s moving to.”

Violence flared in the early hours of yesterday morning after two days of peaceful protests by around 30 worried parents.

Windows in a Hillrise Park home were smashed one by one and walls spray-painted. One local woman said one of the culprits had gone inside the property.

The protesters said those responsible were nothing to do with them. According to Clydach community councillor Roger Smith, the police were only called after all the damage had been inflicted.

The alleged offender was not in the building at the time.

Councillor Smith said he shared the concerns of the protesters, but labelled the actions of the vandals “appalling”.
He said: “I was not pleased with the way this has ended, having a rent-a-mob turn up doing damage.

“But having said that, residents and parents are delighted the man has left the area and is not coming back.

“That has achieved what the protestors set out to do. If he had heeded the advice he was given, things would have not got as heated in the first place.”

The protest was sparked after the alleged offender went to visit a local school to talk to the head teacher.

However, instead of arriving at an agreed time, he is thought to have arrived early while children were still on the premises.

Once word spread about the visit, angry parents gathered outside his house, waving placards and demanding action.

Police confirmed they were called at around 2am yesterday morning after reports of burglary. Two men and a woman were arrested in connection with the incident. They also confirmed the occupant of the house has been relocated.

Chief Inspector Will Rees added: “Clearly local people have felt extremely concerned and in response to this decided to take action.

“While we condone the law-abiding measures by the majority of people, our role is to uphold the law and we condemn the actions which appear to have been taken by a minority of people.

“The public can be reassured that stringent procedures are in place for dealing with such people, and they are adhered to by South Wales Police and statutory partners at a local, regional and national level.

“Risk assessments and visits form part of a pro-active approach to the ongoing management of individual cases which aims to minimise risk and to maximise public safety as a number-one priority.”