A SEX offender from Northfleet, who said he was only being "friendly" when he cuddled young children, has been jailed for two years.

Blackfriars Crown Court heard how Ernest Roy Blackwell, aged 61, of Pier Road, assaulted an 11-year-old girl in July.

The girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was playing with two friends in an Eltham playground when Blackwell approached them and struck up a conversation.

The sex offender, who worked as a waitor, then began to hug the children and rub their necks at the Avery Hill Park playground.

One girl was touched on the breast and Blackwell offered to give them five pounds if they would come back the following day.

The court heard that after the children had returned home and told their parents and police, Greenwich officers arrested him at his home.

Blackwell denied the assault, saying he was only being friendly when he cuddled the children.

He was sentenced to two years in jail on December 6.

This is to be followed by three years on licence after his release, and after that, a further ten years on the sex offenders' register.

Sentencing Blackwell, already a convicted sex offender, the judge said imprisonment "has taken a dangerous man out of circulation who is a menace to society's young children."

Sergeant Rod Chapman, from North Kent Police, explained how police keep vigorous checks on paedophiles released back into the community.

He said: "When a sex offender is released, they have 14 days to register with the police. In the meantime, a sex offender panel made up of social services workers and police sits to assess whether they are a high risk or low risk offender.

"If they are a high risk offender, there are frequent visits to the paedophile's home to check they are where they are meant to be. Even a low risk offender will have regular checks.

"We maintain a vigorous overview of what paedophiles are doing in the community."

December 18, 2001 17:23

Emma Coutts-Wood