March 2017 Hull mum’s horror as she discovers paedophile living on her street A housing association has agreed to help a disgusted mum-of-two move after she found out she is living close to a convicted paedophile. Emma, 34, was shocked to learn she was living on the same street as Richard Lawson – a 67-year-old man who indecently assaulted a child and a teenager in the 1980s as well as a woman in the 1990s. Lawson was sentenced to 15 months in jail at Hull Crown Court in April last year after pleading guilty to both charges but was released in November on licence. Lawson, who occasionally looked after Emma’s children prior to his conviction, was also placed on the Sex Offender Register for 10 years. Emma, of north Hull, was not told about Lawson’s release by police and she now feels on edge with her four-year-old boy and 11-year-old girl living so close to him. She said she did not feel comfortable living so close to a convicted sex offender. “It makes me feel uneasy it really does and I don’t feel comfortable in my own home,” she said. “There should be more laws and I thought there was a law where we were supposed to know about sex offenders in the area.” When Lawson was sentenced, the judge in his trial condemned his “despicable behaviour” and added it was important “offences of this nature come into the open so other children are protected.” During his sentencing, it emerged one of Lawson’s victims claimed he had said “paedophiles should be hanged.” In mitigation, solicitors for Lawson asked that he be given a suspended sentence so that he could continue to look after his frail wife. Places for People, the housing association through which Miss Dickinson rents her home, have since said they will support her to secure a move elsewhere. A spokesperson said: “We would be happy to advise Emma in how to apply for alternative accommodation. “If she feels at risk and believes she needs to move urgently then she should contact the local authority for emergency re-housing. All our available properties are listed on our website and customers can apply to move, providing they meet the relevant criteria.” However, Emma feels that she is being driven out of her own home by Lawson’s criminality and thinks he should be the one to move out. She added: “I want to see him move. Why should I have to move? It would be better for him to go into a quieter area in sheltered accommodation, especially when he is living directly near to young children. “His windows are always getting smashed and I’ve got two very frightened children. Why should I be the one to move? There is no priority for me and I don’t agree with any of it really.” Under the Child Sex Offender Disclosure Scheme, which is more commonly known as ‘Sarah’s Law,’ concerned residents can ask any police force in the country if someone with access to a child has a record for child sexual offences. Police will reveal details confidentially to the person most able to protect the child (usually parents, carers or guardians) if they think it is in the child’s interests.