A NEIGHBOURHOOD was terrorised by a vigilante mob looking for a peadophile who had just been jailed for 24 years.

The mob descended on Presto Gardens, Deane, at about 10pm last Wednesday, despite a report in The Bolton News describing how 60-year-old child rapist David Thompson had been given a lengthy prison sentence.

Residents from the cul-de-sac reported five men banging on windows and doors, asking where Thompson was, including the home of a terrified 93-year-old woman.

It is understood the gang went to four houses in the neighbourhood. Police were called on Thursday afternoon.

Among those visited by the mob was Christopher Whitehead, aged 63, who had just returned home after nine weeks in hospital and was in a wheelchair with a broken ankle.

Mr Whitehead said: “I was just sitting in the living room watching TV with the window open, when these young men — about 20 years old — knocked on my window and said ‘Oi! You! Where’s that paedophile?’

“They kept banging on my window and I said ‘he’s not here’. I didn’t even know why they were here — I hadn’t heard anything about it.

“I felt really unsafe and it frightened me. I was in shock.”

He added: “It was diabolical what these people did. Why are they targeting us? We’ve got nothing to do with it.”


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Mr Whitehead’s neighbour, Frank Bradley, aged 69, said he was disturbed by the mob.

“They were shouting and using foul language. I’m sure a lot of people in this street will feel unsafe after this.

"This is a pensioners’ area and there are only 40-odd houses on the cul-de-sac.”

Paedophile David Thompson was jailed for 24 years last week after he admitted a catalogue of horrific child sex offences, including forcing seven-year-old girl to recreate scenes from a hardcore porn film.

A police spokesman said: “We were called to Presto Gardens just before noon on Thursday.

"A group of people had been in the street looking for this offender.

“We found no evidence of anything criminal so there will not be an investigation.

"We have heard no mention of them threatening someone or damaging anything.

“A PCSO attended and the caller has been given a contact number to ring if there are any future incidents.”