ANGRY parents have vowed to hold weekly street protests amid claims a convicted sex offender who repeatedly breached a ban on playing with children has been housed next to a new playpark.

Families in Haddington’s Nungate area say they are organising ‘peaceful protests’, starting tomorrow (Friday), to demand the removal of the man from Seggarsdean Crescent.

The 61-year-old had a Sexual Offences Prevention Order (SOPO) placed on him in 2015 after he had been convicted of sex offences against women and children.

As part of the order, the man was banned from any communication with children but has appeared in court several times for breaching the order.

In 2016, he was jailed for approaching and tickling two young girls in North Berwick repeatedly.

Last January, he was sent to jail for 16 months for breaching the order after admitting playing with unnamed children at the National Museum of Flight, East Fortune, and on a separate incident at a restaurant in Lasswade.

He received an additional six months’ jail in September when further incidents of his interaction with young girls, including dancing with one at a church hall, were admitted.

Residents of Seggarsdean Crescent were spurred into action after discovering another child sex offender had also been living on the street, neighbours only realising when he was jailed recently.

Helen Nelson, who launched the campaign to force East Lothian Council to move the first sex offender off the street by staging peaceful protests, pledged to hold them every Friday evening until he was moved.

She said: “Our street should not be a dumping ground for child sex offenders.

“It would never have been allowed by the Nungate community of the past and should not be allowed now.

“Why would they put someone like him next to a brand new playpark which is attracting children from other parts of the town, as well as being used by local families?

“It’s an absurd decision and I was horrified when I realised it had happened.”

The campaign to ‘Get Him Out’ describes the action as a “peaceful protest to get him out and come together to protect our kids and town”.

A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “We are aware of a planned, peaceful protest due to take place in the Nungate area of Haddington on Friday evening.

“Officers will liaise with the organisers and the event will be policed and resourced as appropriate.”

A spokesperson for East Lothian Council said: “Public safety is of paramount importance and we work closely with our partner agencies to ensure that Scottish Government guidance relating to the safe management of offenders is followed.

“Although we cannot comment on individual cases, we can confirm that there are robust processes and procedures in place to manage sex offenders.”