MP 'let down' over sex offender

Patrick Brendon Smith will be sentenced after court reports

An MP says he feels "let down" by the probation service after a rapist staying at a Wrexham bail hostel tried to groom two schoolgirls for sex.

Patrick Brendon Smith, 44, admitted two charges of attempting to facilitate sexual activity with a child while staying at the Plas Y Wern hostel.

Martyn Jones, MP for Clwyd South, said he had been given assurances dangerous offenders would not be housed there.

The Probation Service said public protection was its "utmost priority".

Campaigners have repeatedly called for paedophiles to be banned from the hostel near the Plas Madoc estate, and a protest march is planned next week.

Residents on the estate claim the hostel is too close to a school to house sex offenders.

How are we going to protect our kids, if we are not given correct information? It's too late when something happens Sue Charles, campaigner

MP Mr Jones said he had been given assurances by the Probation Service that offenders deemed a risk to the public would not be housed there.

He said: "I feel very let down.

"Despite these assurances and all the reassurances that have been given to myself and local people over the years, something like this has happened and a person with a record of paedophilia has been allowed to attempt to groom these children.

"It's just not good enough. I think the authorities have been very complacent about it and it's very disappointing."

Mr Jones said he hoped those in charge of the probation service had "learnt their lesson," adding: "It's lucky that this person was picked up before any real damage was done."

He said he would be contacting Prisons Minister David Hanson to ask him to investigate the case.

Asked if was contacting the Probation Service, he said: "I'm hoping that they will be contacting me...if not I will be in touch with them."

Caernarfon Crown Court heard on Tuesday how Smith was previously given a 12-year sentence in Ireland for raping a young girl, and other offences.

Martyn Jones said he received "assurances" over imates' risk

Smith, also known as Reilly, will be sentenced later and could face an indeterminate jail term.

Joan Hopwood was one of the original protesters who waged a campaign against Plas y Wern for four years.

She said Smith's court case had been the final act of a "disaster waiting to happen".

Wrexham councillor Paul Blackwell, whose ward neighbours Plas y Wern, said paedophiles should be housed in a more secure area.

Sue Charles, one of the leaders of the campaign by Plas Madoc residents, said they intended to march on the bail hostel next Monday evening.

She added: "In the last four years we've been promised that all offenders moving into the bail hostel would be risk assessed and if they were considered dangerous they wouldn't be allowed to go there.

"But it's clear that the probation service hasn't done it's job properly.

"How are we going to protect our kids, if we are not given correct information? It's too late when something happens.

"If something isn't done, we're going to end up with a tragedy like the Sarah Payne case."

Another campaigner, Carol Leader, said: "I don't know how those people in the probation service can sleep at night when things like this are happening."

'Gaps'

In a statement, the Probation Service said a review had "highlighted a number of issues including the fact that there were gaps in the information supplied to North Wales Probation Area about Smith's offending background".

The statement said accommodating Smith at Plas Y Wern was considered a better option than allowing him less supervision in the community.

It added: "As soon as we became aware there was a problem, we collaborated closely with the police and Smith was recalled to prison immediately.

"The management of offenders at Plas y Wern is the subject of an ongoing review process to ensure the regime is as robust as possible.

"We appreciate the concern of local people and we would like to assure them that public protection is our utmost priority."

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