Paper criticised over sex crime protest

Police vans outside the Blue Triangle homeless unit

A newspaper has been condemned for "irresponsible journalism" over an anti-paedophile protest outside a house in Lanarkshire.

Demonstrators gathered outside a homeless unit in Airdrie which had been named by a local newspaper as the home of Graham Campbell, a convicted sex offender.

The authorities insist he has never been housed there.

A spokeswoman for North Lanarkshire Council condemned the report as "irresponsible journalism".

She said those living in the Blue Triangle home were vulnerable and had been exceptionally upset by the protest.

At the peak of Wednesday night's demonstration about 200 people surrounded the Blue Triangle homeless unit.

They had read a report in the Coatbridge and Airdrie Advertiser which claimed Graham Campbell, 18, was housed there.

Elizabeth Teasdale: "We want the authorities to listen"

Police and the manager of the privately-run unit said he had never set foot on the premises but protest organiser Elizabeth Teasdale was not convinced.

She said: "Of course we're concerned about the children. That is our main priority here because we want the police to listen to us, the councillors to listen to us.

"We want something done here. This can't go on. There are too many children in this area and these people are posing a threat, a complete threat to the mothers, the fathers and the children in this area and we just want it stopped."

Police inspector John Riley said: "Local residents are entitled to protest should they wish to do so but my reassurance to them is that the person concerned is not and has not been at that home."

Sentence deferred

Campbell pleaded guilty two weeks ago at Hamilton Sheriff Court of using lewd and libidinous practices toward a five-year-old girl at houses in Motherwell.

He was placed on the sex offenders register and sentence was deferred until next week.

Before he appeared in court, social workers had housed him in another homeless unit in Coatbridge.

SNP councillor Richard Lyle said: "On two occasions in the Coatbridge area the council have placed known paedophiles near either schools or homeless units where there are children and I think that is absolutely outrageous.

"It is about time they started to open this thing up and basically tell people what is going on.

"Many people have fears which are not being addressed and think it is time that they were addressed.

"I think we've got to get something sorted out fast because people are getting to the end of their tether with this type of case."

The demonstration passed off peacefully with just one arrest.