Public protection is top priority - police

The PSNI offered the assurance following an incident in New Mossley last week when a man, believed by local residents to have been a registered sex offender, moved out of the estate after people voiced concerns that he was living close to two local schools.

While the police wouldn't comment on any specific details about the individual concerned, a spokesperson did stress that protecting members of the public is their number one priority.

"The management of sex offenders is a multi-agency process where several agencies such as the PSNI, Prison Service, Probation Board, the Housing Executive and Social Services, each with a particular specialist expertise, work closely together, sharing information on sex offenders to assess the risks they pose and putting in place appropriate action plans to manage those risks. Public protection is a top priority and the focus of those agencies is to reduce the risk these offenders pose.

"Police are always happy to discuss the concerns of the local community," she commented.

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