A KNOWN sex offender has been banned from approaching children or entering play areas and public parks by new legislation used for the first time in Lancashire.

The man, who told Blackburn magistrates he was a regular churchgoer who had done nothing wrong since his release from prison, can now be arrested if he breaks the terms of the Sex Offender Order, made under new powers introduced by Home Secretary Jack Straw.

Under the Crime and Disorder Act 1998, an order can be imposed if a sex offender gives reasonable cause to believe that they are about to commit an offence.

After yesterday's hearing, Insp Mike Simmons, of Blackburn police, said: "This will help protect children in Blackburn and other areas from someone who was giving every indication that he was going to offend again."

The registered sex offender told the court he had invited two boys into his home because he was lonely and he did not intend to harm them.

He said he had not known that a man who had frequently visited his home had been convicted for crimes against children.

Assistant chief probation officer Philip Crooks said: "He is unwilling to comprehend that his behaviour is a problem. He has little awareness of his impact on the victims. The circumstances are all in place for repeat offences."

A woman who lived opposite the man's flat told the court she had often seen children playing outside his house and speaking to him. She contacted the police after her 15-year-old daughter complained that he was staring at her through her bedroom window whilst partially dressed and vacuuming with no clothes on.

PC Wendy Holmes told the hearing that when she found two boys, aged 12 and 13 at the man's house he told her they had been watching a video of George of the Jungle.

In a statement read to the court, the 13-year-old boy said: "He was very friendly and he was very kind. He said he had helped the Kosovo people."

Later the boy was playing in a field with a friend when he saw the man watching them with a pair of binoculars.

The boy said he visited the man twice more because he felt sorry for him.

PC Holmes told the court three girls, aged six, 10 and 11, told her he had encouraged them to do handstands when they were wearing little skirts and dresses.

When asked by Mr Peter King, representing the man, PC Holmes said the children seemed quite happy to be there.

The order will remain until another order is made by the courts.

Peter Butterfield, editor of the Lancashire Evening Telegraph agreed not to identify the man after police solicitor Niamh Noone said it would help the probation service monitor him and establish him back into the community and would help the police to keep order in the area where he lived.

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