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Police fear pedophile mob violence

By Rosemary Desmond

July 09, 2008 01:29pm

POLICE are concerned they may become victims of mob violence aimed against convicted pedophile Dennis Ferguson.

Queensland Police Union of Employees president Cameron Pope said officers guarding Ferguson were bearing the brunt of public anger against the convicted child molester.
Ferguson, 60, is being cared for by a church group on a property southeast of Brisbane at a cost to taxpayers of $1000 a day and supervised by police around the clock.

About 1000 people at a public forum in Carbrook, south of Brisbane, last night made it clear they did not want Ferguson in their community.

Mr Pope said police were at the property to ensure everyone obeyed the law.

"That includes Dennis Ferguson and that includes those who would want to start a lynch mob at the entrance to the premises where he is being housed," Mr Pope said today.

"Our concern is that police are being drawn into the middle of this and there is the possible escalation of violence which is not acceptable in this situation, or in any situation," Mr Pope said.

"Everyone has a right to voice their opinions but we would just ask for calmness in doing so."

Among the residents at last night's Carbrook meeting was off-duty Senior Constable Heather Steinberg, a police prosecutor and mother of two who lives with her family 9km from where Ferguson is housed.

Sen-Constable Steinberg told the meeting she was putting her job at risk by presenting a "Get rid of Ferguson" petition with 150 signatures to Queensland Police Minister Judy Spence.

The Queensland Police Service has said no disciplinary action would be taken against Sen-Constable Steinberg.

Mr Pope said she had as much right to voice her opinion as any other member of the public.

He said union members were unhappy about the release of Ferguson, freed last week by a judge who said he would not get a fair trial on new child sex charges.

He has already been run out of a community at Miles, in the state's south.

This week, a man from Munruben, south of Brisbane, has been charged with using a carriage service to threaten harm against Ferguson and another has been seen outside the Carbrook house waving a noose.