Sex offender lived yards from school

Richard McCrea moved into Gowanvale Drive in the town late last year and remained there for four months until neighbours joined together to sign a petition to have him removed from the estate which sits close to Bridge Integrated Primary School.

The 31-year-old, who is now believed to be living in the North West of the Province, even spoke to the Leader to protest his innocence despite records of his past convictions.

“I am not a monster,” said McCrea, who spent time in prison in 2009 after breaching a Risk of Sexual Harm Order while subject to a suspended sentence for a previous breach.

“I’ve done nothing to harm any child. I just want to to be left alone so I can get on with my life - I am not a danger to anyone.”

“After the petition was sent round the estate I was visited by the police warning me that my safety was at risk.

“When the police informed me of the threat I contacted the Housing Executive to get moved out of Banbridge.”

McCrea, who is married, had admitted to using two mobile phones to make contact with two young girls - something he was prevented from doing by the order.

He subsequently met up with three young girls, all aged under 17, to “establish a relationship or meeting”, according to the court.

The District Judge presiding over his case said McCrea had a “limited level of co-operation with probation”.

It is understood he was supervised by the Probation Board until January 2010 but he is still the subject of a Risk of Sexual Harm Order.

A mother-of-three living in Gowanvale Drive expressed her disgust that someone with McCrea’s past was allowed to move into an area full of young families and close to a primary school.

“I think we’ve a right to know about sex offenders living in our area,” said the woman, who did not wish to be named.

“I would actively campaign for Sarah’s Law to be brought in here to stop anything like this happening again. It’s not a witch hunt I’m on - it’s a case of keeping kids safe.”

A spokeswoman for the Housing Executive said they had not been informed by any agencies of McCrea’s past.

“We have not knowingly housed anyone in that area in the past 12 months who has committed a Schedule One offence,” said the spokeswoman.