Residents in an Athenry estate are demanding the removal of a convicted rapist – accommodated by a housing agency – from their midst.

Householders only recently discovered that one of their neighbours is Patrick Naughton (69) who served an eleven-year prison sentence for raping, abusing and threating to kill his daughter from the age of nine.

Naughton was allocated a house in the estate earlier this year, but neighbours only discovered his identity in recent weeks – and they are now genuinely worried about him living in the area. Since his release from prison, Naughton has been placed in houses in Salthill, Athlone and Ballinasloe before being forced out of these estates by constant pressure from local residents.

While housed in Ballinasloe, he was said to be ‘out sitting in the front seat of his car or standing just inside his gate watching children go by’.

The residents in the Athenry estate have been in touch with the Gardaí and housing agency Cluid to express their concerns but say that they are getting nowhere in their efforts to have him thrown out.

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