Residents concern over child sex offenders housed near families

RESIDENTS in Dungannon are worried about child sex offenders being granted NI Housing Executive (NIHE) accommodation next to families, Mid Ulster Council has been told.

Addressing the chamber on October 24, independent councillor Barry Monteith expressed serious concerns over what he sees as the growing issue of paedophiles being housed near family homes, especially within the Dungannon area.

The independent representative said, “I’m sure all councillors have been approached directly or indirectly [regarding this issue] over the last while, and it’s not something specific to Mid Ulster: it’s the issue of the placement of child sex offenders in communities.”

Cllr Monteith continued, “I have been inundated, and I’m sure other councillors have as well, about ‘dumping’ – it’s an expression that has been used to me – these individuals in housing developments, in blocks of flats where there are young families and children.

“People feel that this is not acceptable. There is no communication with local residents. “There is absolutely no ability for them to get the information that they need to keep their families safe.”

Before requesting that NIHE provide a response to the concerns raised, Cllr Monteith said this problem was disproportionately one faced by people in economically-disadvantaged areas.

Not listening

“I don’t think the powers-that-be are listening to our local communities, and it’s always in social housing that these folks are being dumped. It’s always the areas with the poorest standards of housing and the poorest social conditions where these individuals are being dumped.”

Cllr Monteith also claimed to have seen figures which suggest that Mid Ulster has a higher percentage of these cases than other districts, and that the problem is particularly pronounced in the Dungannon area.

Cllr Moneith’s concerns were echoed by Mid Ulster council chair, Eugene McConnell.

In response to questions raised by the Tyrone Herald, a spokesperson for NIHE commented, “We have a statutory duty to carry out an assessment on any household who is homeless or threatened with homelessness and who presents to us for assistance.

“As part of the housing and homelessness assessment process, we will also carry out relevant checks, when necessary, via the Public Protection Arrangements Northern Ireland (PPANI) process, working with key partners such as PSNI, Probation NI and the Northern Ireland Prison Service.

“We would wish to reassure the public that each case assessed and managed via the PPANI process is done so to minimise any perceived risk in the community.”