POLICE have warned vandals to stay away from a convicted paedophile's home after two of his windows were broken.

Stones were thrown at the double-glazed windows of Peter Ainsley's house in Elmway, on the Hilda Park estate in Chester-le-Street.

The attack occurred as Ainsley, 53, was being jailed at Teesside Crown Court last week for three years for abducting and photographing two girls.

Now police fear innocent neighbours could suffer if the stone-throwers return to the house.

Inspector Dave Marshall, of Chester-le-Street police, said: "I want to appeal to vandals to keep away. My main concern is the welfare of neighbours.

"An elderly lady lives in the flat above this man's house and she is scared.

"We don't want innocent people to suffer for his crime. Other neighbours are also worried."

The damage happened while Ainsley was on trial at Teesside Crown Court for abducting two 11-year-olds in Middlesbrough and driving them to his Chester-le-Street flat. There, he photographed them naked. He denied the offences but was found guilty.