March 2009

Convicted Litherland paedophile jailed after befriending a family with young children

A CONVICTED paedophile who befriended a family with young children has been locked up for 16 months.

Jailing Peter Hernon, Judge Robert Warnock said: “I have the clear and definitive opinion that you are a danger to children.”

Liverpool crown court heard Hernon was subjected to a Sexual Offenders’ Prevention Order (Sopo) banning him from being in contact with children after being jailed for a catalogue of sex offences.

But for about four months, the 61-year-old befriended the brother of a man he had met in prison. Prosecutor Andrew Downie told the court his family included five children, all aged eight and under.

He added: “He was allowed to be with those children, sometimes on his own, without the parents around.”

The family only discovered Hernon’s background when he became aggressive at their home and the police were called.

Hernon, of Moss View, Litherland, admitted five offences of breaching his Sexual Offenders’ Order

July 2004

Court acts over paedophile threat

A “DANGEROUS paedophile” has been inviting children into his home and giving them alcohol, a court heard.

Peter Hernon has set up home in a residential area described as “a natural playground for children.”.

Now a judge has begun moves to protect the public from him.

Hernon, 57, who was run out of Clitheroe in 1999 in a hate campaign, moved to Burnley on March 1 this year.

He has served time behind bars for child sex offences and is on the sex offenders’ register for life.

Hernon was driven from his home at Whalley Road in Clitheroe after pamphlets branding him a paedophile were distributed in the town.

And yesterday Burnley magistrates heard police claim that in the four months he had lived in Burnley, Hernon had been inviting youngsters to his home and giving them alcohol. He had been warned by officers his alleged behaviour was inappropriate.

His conduct since settling in Burnley, according to the solicitor for the Lancashire Constabulary, was said to have frightened and upset children, to have given them nightmares and to have prompted complaints from parents.

Hernon, was, said police, in total denial over his past offending and mixed with other child abusers.

He, on the other hand, insisted he was “no threat to children at all,” and said he feared his home would be petrol bombed once his past became known.

He claimed the allegations made against him in Burnley were “hopelessly flawed,” that a “tremendous amount of rubbish” had been “invented” about him and that he was the victim of mistaken identity.

But Hernon was yesterday made the subject of a temporary interim Sexual Offences Prevention Order.

Police had urged the court to make an “urgent,” interim order because the local school holidays had just started and to “allow a period of safety for the community”.

A district judge banned the Press from reporting Hernon’s address and also the terms of the temporary interim order. The case was adjourned until Friday. Hernon, not yesterday legally represented, intended to instruct a solicitor and will contest the police application.

Niamh Noone, for Lancashire Police, said Hernon moved to the Burnley area on March 1 and in the short time since numerous alleged incidents had been reported to the police, the last being on July 15.

Officers had attended his home to warn him about his alleged conduct. The solicitor continued:”The school holidays are upon us. He lives in a residential area, children are attracted to it and it is a natural playground for them.”

Hernon, told the hearing he would not be foolish enough to ever allow a child to go to his home and stay alone- that would be foolish for a man whether he was a sex offender or not. He said he could assure the court he was no threat to children at all and that the recent allegations againt him were completely without merit.

Hernon said he would be leaving Burnley now his name could be revealed in local newspapers. He told the court:”That’s ruined my life.”

A court hearing in 1999 was told how he had moved around hotels and pubs in Clitheroe and been ‘hounded’ because of his background. He had difficulties with accommodation since his release from prison and pamphlets had been distributed in Clitheroe branding him a sex offender.