A grandfather has been left terrified after a convicted paedophile who lives nearby has set up a CCTV camera that points towards his grandson’s treehouse.
Martin Prior, 65, first contacted the police on December 22 after discovering the camera placed on a lane next to his property in Cross Keys, Herefordshire.
The camera has been tied onto a post on land that is not owned by the sex offender, but does not face towards his property, instead facing towards Prior’s.
The 65-year-old said: “We are worried that the sex offender may have concealed other cameras aimed at our property.
The camera has been tied onto a post and faces towards Prior’s land
Facebook/Martin Prior
“Our grandson is semi-resident with us; until this camera was placed, his young friends and relatives, male and female, came to play here.
“But we have had to severely curtail these visits to protect these children from the possibility of being filmed.
“Our niece is not allowed to visit us at all while this horrible situation persists.”
An officer from West Mercia Police visited the property the following day and spoke to the suspected owner of the camera.
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A map Prior created to show how the camera faces directly onto his property
Facebook/Martin Prior
The police however told Prior that they were unable to act.
A spokesperson from the force said: “‘We are aware of a concern raised about the placement of a CCTV camera.
“However, no crime has been reported to us and therefore it is not a police matter.
“CCTV concerns need to be raised with the Information Commissioner’s Office.
“We can neither confirm nor deny the location or identity of a registered sex offender in the community.”
They recommended to Prior that he raises his concerns with the Information Commissioner’s Office, which is responsible for enforcing the UK General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and can offer advice and assistance.
The grandfather took to social media to vent his frustration with the situation and the police’s inability to act.
He wrote: “What on earth is going on and why won’t the Police act to prevent a registered sex offender from covertly filming my family?”
