Residents of a Blair neighborhood are on high alert and concerned about the criminal past of a registered sex offender named Dale Bolinger.
In the United Kingdom he was known as the ‘Canterbury Cannibal.’ Bolinger hasn’t committed any crimes here and has registered as a sex offender as legally required.
He was sentenced to nine years in prison in Britain in 2014 for crimes by the Canterbury Crown Court that included cannibalistic themed child pornography. According to British court documents from his 2014 sentencing, Bolinger would digitally alter indecent images of girls and pose them with apples in their mouths on serving platters or inside ovens.
A jury convicted Bolinger , an American citizen, of making arrangements to meet a 14-year-old girl, have sex with her, kill her with an axe and then eat her. It's unclear why he was released and returned to the United States so soon. The man who answered the door at the house told 6 News that Bolinger is a friend of the family and they are hosting him until he can get back on his feet. The man insisted it is only for a short time.
Some families have been in touch with their own lawyers to consider any legal options they may have moving forward. The Washington County Attorney and the sheriff’s office are aware of his presence
A concerned father, who didn’t want to be identified, told 6 News the community is working to look out for their children.
“I hope everybody is diligent and make sure we communicate as a community because this has been a great neighborhood and hopefully we can figure a way to get through this,” he said.