Police have launched an investigation amid reports of a sex offender prowling around a Dundee primary school.
Concerned parents from Craigiebarns Primary revealed their fears about a man who is frequently seen loitering just outside the school gates.
Police stressed there is no evidence that anything ”untoward” has happened but they are speaking to parents in an attempt to reassure them.
One mother, who asked not to be identified for fear of reprisals, said she and her friend had complained to the school twice to see if anything could be done.
”There’s been stories for years that there was a paedophile or sex offender,” she said. ”There’s a rumour went about that someone got a disclosure done on him and it came out that he was a stage-one sex offender.”
Her friend added: ”He’s there at playtimes and was at the sports day yesterday. He always seems to be hanging about in the vicinity.
”He shouldn’t be around the school. Anything that’s going on with kids he would be there.”
Both women said they would feel safer if they knew the police were keeping the man under surveillance.
”We just don’t want him hanging about the schools,” one of the mums said. ”Apparently he goes around Craigie High, too. We are not saying jail the guy but he should have an eye kept on him. It’s better than letting something happen.”
Her friend said: ”I think we need a system like in America. I don’t agree with lynch mobs but what if something did happen? They wait for someone to have been kidnapped or murdered before something happens.”
Police were to be deployed to the area to investigate the matter.
A spokesman for the force said: ”Tayside Police and its partners in education and social work are aware of local concerns and are working closely together to address them. However, it should be stated that there is nothing at this time to indicate that any offence or anything untoward has taken place.
”Local officers will be attending at the school and in the local area seeking further information and those parents who have voiced concerns will be spoken with.”
Since last year, parents have had the right to ask police if a person who has close contact with their child has a record for sex convictions. However, in the past few months they can now ask for the number of registered sex offenders living in their postcode district.
Statistics from October 2011-February 2012 revealed there were 39 registered sex offenders living in the Dundee East DD4 postcode.