Mums of children abused by Almondbury ‘monster’ John Catterson speak out: The story every parent should read

Mar 19 2010 by Katie Grant, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

John Catterson

Catterson lured the children into his former Almondbury home on Westgate with sweets and ice-cream.

Mum A said: “He groomed them, he was their ‘best friend’.

“My daughter used to come home with make-up on.

“He told her to keep it all a secret.

“We thought she was going to a friend’s house just down the road, I would hate to think what might have happened if we hadn’t found out where they were actually going.”

The distraught parents only realised their girls were visiting Catterson last October.

Local families were angered to find out the house he had been living in with his wife is just 100 yards away from Almondbury CE Infant School in Longcroft.

He was already a registered sex offender at the time of the offences.

Mum B said: “People have got a right to be told there’s a registered sex offender living on their street.

“He shouldn’t have been living 100 yards away from a school and 25 yards away from a park.

“The police should have been keeping a very close eye on him.

“We’ve got to be able to protect our kids – instead it is the paedophiles that are being protected.”

Mum A added: “If I had my own way I would have him hung up in the town centre. I cannot stand paedophiles.”

The young girls have been having nightmares ever since the incidents at Catterson’s house.

Mum B continued: “He’s a monster and he’s grotesque and he needs locking up for ever.”