A SEX offender who was beaten up after a petition was launched, pressing for him to be moved, has promised residents he would “never touch a child”.

The 51-year-old man, who lives in south Braintree, has two black eyes and a broken nose as a result of an attack at his home.

Police have warned they will not tolerate vigilantism and say anyone who commits an offence against the man will be prosecuted.

The attack happened after a petition was launched by a local mum, angry to learn a registered sex offender was living close to a school.

The unemployed, unmarried man, who is not being named for his own protection, has served time in prison for performing an indecent act in public and indecent exposure.

But he said: “I have never once hurt a child. Children have been in the area, but my interest has never been them at all.

“I have never laid a finger on anybody in my life. All I have done has been a threat to myself, but I understand the emotional distress my actions have caused other people.”

He has lived in the same home in Braintree since buying it in 1997 and said all he wanted was to be left alone to get on with his life.

He added: “I don’t want to offend any more, just get on with my future.

“This is creating a kind of mob violence, with people taking the law into their own hands.”

The man, who has no children, said his time in prison had been his punishment, and he was now rehabilitated. He added he had “tremendous remorse”.

But mum Marie Tyrer, 34, who collected about 20 names on the petition, said: “He should not be within the vicinity of a school, anyway.”

Chief Insp Nick Lee, of Braintree police, said the police policy was to neither confirm nor deny the presence of a sex offender in the community.

He added: “Where a sex offender is present, they are subject to stringent police regulation and visits. I would strongly discourage vigilantism.”

* Anyone with any information on last Friday’s attack is asked to call Braintree police, on 0300 3334444.