March 1999 PAEDOPHILE IS RELEASED EARLY A CONVICTED paedophile is to be released – just two years into his sentence – after inflicting depraved sexual assaults on schoolgirls. Parents of Brian Toohey’s child victims were dealt the devastating news this week, when they were informed the sex fiend had not only been granted parole, but could be housed in nearby Catford or Tulse Hill. The rag and bone man – who lured schoolgirls into carrying out sexual favours with offers of sweets and cigarettes – was jailed for six years in January 1997, after being convicted of two counts of indecent assault and two of indecency with a child. Throughout his trial, Toohey denied sexually assaulting the children – claiming to have woken in his bed to find them “interfering with him”. Despite claiming to have been promised three month’s notice and the chance to appeal against his release, parents were contacted by the Inner London Probation Service last week and told Toohey would be released “in the next week or two”. Now, after dealing the shattering news to their daughters, parents are demanding to know why justice has not been done. Convinced Toohey will haunt her daughter upon his release, one furious mother said: “I don’t think he should be allowed anywhere in the London area whatsoever. It’s disgusting he is to be released so soon. “He’ll have done two years in prison and another on remand, which is nothing when you consider he’s given these girls a life sentence.” Another worried mum is set to contact her MP in protest at Toohey’s early release. She said: “My daughter was 11 years old when he was abusing her. He is an evil pervert – he should’ve served his time and he should be miles away.” A leaked copy of the probation service’s letter to victims confirmed Toohey’s imminent release. It read: “He will be in a hostel where there will be a curfew and where he will have to attend a programme connected with his offending. “His parole will continue until January next year and then he will be on a supervision licence until June 2001. “There has been a condition placed in his licence that he must not contact your daughter by any means.” A spokesman for the Inner London Probation Service said: “Taking into account the time spent in remand, Mr Toohey has now served three years and is eligible to be considered for parole. “Victims’ families have been contacted and their views were incorporated into the parole assessment report, which was submitted to the parole board.” The spokesman added: “In the first instance, Mr Toohey will be rehoused with a condition to reside at a probation hostel. “The decision as to which probation hostel he will reside at and the date at which a bed will become available are not known at this time. “While under probation supervision, Mr Toohey will be required to register his address with the local police under the sex offender act, and will attend a course in the community designed to reduce any risk of reoffending.”