NEW fears have been raised about sex offenders being resettled in a bail hostel in Wrexham.
Campaigners are making a fresh bid to get serious sex offenders living at Plas Y Wern in Plas Madoc moved out of the area.
It follows the jailing in November of Llewelyn George Buckland, 38, of Plas Y Wern, who started a relationship with a mother-of-three without telling her he was a sex offender.
Sue Charles, 47, of Rhosymedre, wants to organise a demonstration similar to one in 2005, in which three protesters chained themselves to railings outside the hostel.
She said: “This has been simmering away for years and it’s about time we tried again to get them moved.
“We’re going to lobby government and write letters to Cardiff and London.
“We want them to know we’re still here, we haven’t gone away.”
Mrs Charles said UK authorities should look to America, where more than 500 paedophiles are housed in the Coalinga Mental Hospital in California.
One Plas Madoc resident, who did not want to be named, says the hostel is too close to homes and a school.
She said: “I’ve got no problem with the bail hostel being there, it’s the thought of any paedophiles that live there I cannot stand.”
Plas Madoc councillor Paul Blackwell said he shared residents’ concerns, but was doubtful offenders could be moved elsewhere.
He said: “With all the will in the world we’re not going to get rid of the place.
“We have tried in the past to do something about it. People must learn to live with it.
“The probation service do their best in running the hostel, and they do it in a very professional way.”
Clwyd South AM Ken Skates has previously called for the hostel to be moved and on Friday said: “I believe its location is inappropriate given its close proximity to the local community.
“The facility should be moved to a more suitable location and I will again make this request to both the Home Office and Wales Probation.”
Susan Elan Jones MP added: “I have always been strongly opposed to the location of the probation hostel in Plas Madoc and been supportive of much tougher 24 hour curfews for residents while they are living there.
“However the staff at Plas Y Wern do a very good job in very difficult circumstances and work hard to keep the community safe and secure.”
A spokesman for Wales Probation said it could not give details of the offences or the management of individuals.
But he said: “Approved premises such as Plas Y Wern provide controlled accommodation for offenders under probation supervision.
“They remain safer for the public than the alternative which is to disperse the offenders, on release from prison, throughout the local community making supervision much less effective and potentially more dangerous for the public.
“One of the biggest assets we have is knowing where offenders are living so we can monitor and supervise them in the best possible way.
“If places like Plas y Wern did not exist, offenders might be released to an address close to vulnerable families without the stringent supervision regime provided by our highly trained and skilled staff.
“Offenders must follow this structured regime, which includes an overnight curfew, and residents’ movements around the approved premises can be monitored via CCTV 24 hours a day.
“We understand the concerns of local people but we would like to assure them that our number one priority at all times is public protection.
“Child sex offenders cannot be accommodated in approved premises directly adjacent to schools or nurseries and all offenders who live in such facilities are subject to strict licence conditions.
“If an offender breaches these conditions, we can immediately recall them to custody.”