THE FAMILY of a convicted sex offender have been forced off an estate after it was revealed relatives of his victim live there.

Residents on Darwen's Ellenshaw estate organised a petition calling on the town hall not to allow the family of Ian Orange to move into a council house.

Local people were horrified when it was revealed Orange, 34, was due to be released from prison and hoped to move back in with his family.

Orange was jailed for five years after pleading guilty to the attempted rape of a 46-year-old as she made her way home from a nightclub.

At the time of sentencing Preston Crown Court Judge Brian Duckworth said: "It is difficult to imagine a more appalling incident for a lady.

"This is a very dangerous man, with the potential to commit more serious offences. "The people of Darwen have the right to feel they are protected from people like this."

People living on the estate were today staying tight-lipped about the petition but the council has revealed Orange's wife has found a new house in the borough.

Around 20 people living in houses around Ellenshaw Close signed a petition calling for the family to be kept out of the area. Lillian Scott, chairman of the local residents' association, was the first.

She said: "Some residents asked me to organise the petition and the council has told us this lady will not be moving on to the estate.

"This man has been sent to prison for what he did and served his sentence. As far as I am concerned that is the end of the matter. I have nothing further to add."

Neighbours living on either side of the council house the woman was offered signed the petition. A young mother, who did not want to be named, said: "We all signed the petition. None of us wanted to be living next door to someone like that.

"Who would want a man like that living alongside their children and families?"

Blackburn housing chief Phil Richards said: "When this woman put in an application for a house we made an assessment on her housing needs.

"When we were made aware of the background on the estate we called her into the office and advised her of the feeling in the area.

"She felt it probably best not to move into the area and has since found somewhere else to live within the borough."

Blackburn with Darwen Council do not have a policy on refusing to let properties to sex offenders but is thinking of reviewing its position following recent high profile cases.

A man living in Larkhill was forced out of his council flat when it was revealed he was a convicted paedophile.

National agencies are looking at drawing a computer database of sex offenders for local authorities to tap into before offering tenancies to people with criminal convictions.

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