A 22-YEAR-old Blackburn man has been made subject to a sex offender order banning him from unsupervised contact with children under the age of 16.

Courts can pass the special orders to ban known sex offenders who are no longer in prison for types of behaviour that could lead them to commit new crimes.

And in making the order, Blackburn magistrates ruled that it was in the public interest that the man's address as well as his name should be placed in the public domain.

Rejecting an application under the Contempt of Court act that would have banned the press from reporting Paul Hynard's address the chairman said it was rare to prohibit publication of an address and it should not be done purely in the interests of the defendant.

"We feel it is in the public interest that both name and address can be published," said the chairman.

Hynard, of Dickens Street, Blackburn, agreed to be made subject to the order which was sought by the police because of concerns over his behaviour.

Under the order he is prohibited from changing his home address without prior approval from the police; prohibited from doing anything that might bring him into contact with any person under the age of 16; must have no contact with anyone under 16 unless supervised by a responsible adult; and prohibited from entering any school or play area.

Kevin Preston, defending, said the order was not opposed but applied for reporting restrictions to be imposed. He said that in the past, publicity had led to problems with vigilante actions and the police supported his application to prohibit Hynard's address being made public.

"The making of this order in no way suggests that he has committed further offences," added Mr Preston.

Speaking after the order was applied to Hynard, the officer in charge of East Lancashire's Public Protection Unit, Detective Inspector Neil Hunter, said: "The Sex Offender Order was obtained by consent and was not contested at court. The police have a responsibility to protect the community by reducing the risk posed, or threat presented, by certain people in the community. This will be achieved by working closely with him and he has agreed to be subject to the Order. I think this demonstrates that he recognises the need for some assistance and the Order will prevent him entering into uncomfortable or compromising situations that he may find difficult to handle. It also shows that he is prepared to address some of the concerns he has personally."

lA hearing to determine whether a teenager would be made the subject of a sex offender order has been adjourned.

Daniel Edmunds is already the subject of an interim sex offender order and magistrates sitting at Hyndburn lifted an order banning the identification of the 18-year-old after hearing submissions from the Lancashire Evening Telegraph.

Edmunds, of Lincoln House, Blackburn, will appear before the bench at Hyndburn on Wednesday, June 30, for a two-day hearing.