A HEADTEACHER today called for a tighter policy on housing paedophiles after council bosses placed a convicted child sex offender in a flat close to schools.

John Parker has been living in his one-bedroomed council home for over a year after Blackburn with Darwen Council earmarked his last flat in Pendle House, Pendle Street, for demolition.

Council bosses said they would have considered giving him a flat away from schools if they had been told of his conviction but police said he was free to live where he wanted after completing a four-month jail term, imposed in 1999 for indecent assault on a 12-year-old boy.

Home Secretary and Blackburn MP Jack Straw today revealed that the Home Office is examining whether sex offenders and others sentenced for less than 12 months in jail should be subject to supervision by the probation service on their release.

Blackburn with Darwen Council's housing department rehoused Parker, a 63-year-old former brewery worker, at the address of his choice, in the Shadsworth area of Blackburn, unaware he was on the sex offenders' register.

Last week Blackburn magistrates slapped a seven-year sex offender order on him to stay away from under 18-year-olds after he was accused of befriending children at his new address, which is close to three schools and a nursery. Some of the children were pupils of Our Lady and St John RC High School.

The order was applied for on behalf of Lancashire Police Chief Constabulary Pauline Clare and police said it would enable them to "manage" Parker and prevent him from reoffending.

In court Parker was described by Paul Clark, an expert for the National Prevention of Cruelty to Children, as having a "very high risk" of reoffending.

The school's headteacher Michael Humphreys, who blew the whistle on Parker after becoming concerned about his activities, has now called for better relations between authorities to prevent convicted sexual offenders living in such areas.

He said: "There should be more safeguards in place and better liaisons with housing authorities the police and even the education department, which was totally unaware of this man's presence."

Mr Straw said: "I know nothing about the details of this case, but I am happy to look into it.

"There is an issue about the fact that people imprisoned for less than 12 months are not subject to supervision on their release. The Home Office is actively looking at that now."

Supervision by the probation service would include ensuring people they don't live somewhere unsuitable and there are conditions imposed on their lifestyle to prevent re-offending.

At his home John Parker admitted he could see the concern of others although insisted he would never harm children.

He said: "The kids would come in for a game of cards and everything was all right. I couldn't stop them coming in and if I was eating my breakfast they would say 'Make me something Jake'. I was just a friend to them. I would never do anything again, I am OK now."

Parker, described his solicitor as a lonely old man, said he would comply with the order and now just wanted to get on with his life.

A police spokesman said: "We cannot make him move from his present address but now we have the order Parker cannot move without the approval of the police.

"Even though he is on the sexual offenders register John Parker has served his sentence and can live where he wants. We are aware of this man and we got this order as a preventative measure to stop him from offending again.

"If he looks like he is going to offend then he will be breaching his order and he will be arrested and could face up to five years in prison. "

Blackburn with Darwen Council said when Parker moved from Pendle House he was given a choice, as with any other tenant.

Housing officer Ian Bell said: "Unless we have information at that time and we are told that a tenant's area of choice may be a problem we don't consider it and we did not.

"The council does not see the sexual offender's register and it is the police who maintain it. We were not aware that there was a problem and took him like any other applicant.

"If he chooses to move, the police will have a multi-agency assessment meeting and we will work with police but there are no plans to move him and say you can't live there any more. All tenants have certain rights."