Hundreds of residents have again taken to the streets of an estate in Portsmouth to protest against suspected paedophiles living in the area. The disturbances in Paulsgrove have been so bad in recent days that four families not connected with paedophiles at all have asked to be rehoused.
Police say the public reaction has been hysterical and that innocent people are suffering.
The trouble began when the News of the World started its naming and shaming of paedophiles campaign. The paper has now stopped that policy but the protests are continuing. It has agreed to hold regular meetings with protest leaders, appoint a liaison officer to work with residents, and help them campaign for change in the laws governing the release of paedophiles. Protesters have agreed to consider handing over their lists of alleged paedophiles, and all sides will work together to promote children's and public safety on the Paulsgrove estate. Elsewhere in the country, innocent people have been targeted and a suspected paedophile is reported to have killed himself after a vigilante attack on his home left him in fear of his life.