THERE is a clear dilemma for the authorities over Lee Thompson, the North-East man at the centre of national controversy over his involvement in a bizarre sect which treats women as sex slaves.

Is he just a fantasist who is doing nothing wrong legally, or is he a potentially dangerous deviant?

So far, the police have been powerless to take any action against Mr Thompson because the sexual "slavery" taking place at his Darlington home involves consenting adults.

We cannot confirm that his latest claims - including that he has a criminal record for sexual offences and that he had a relationship with child-killer Beverley Allitt - are true. They may be no more than a figment of his warped imagination.

However, we believe that they are serious enough to place in the public domain because we want local people - especially parents - to be warned about his current activities and alleged history.

Remember that he is someone capable of using the Internet to attract impressionable people to his home, to take part in a way of life which is degrading and disturbing. Any right-minded person would have cause for concern.

Whether his latest claims are true or not, someone prepared to make such claims publicly, at a time when vulnerable young people are being enticed to join his sickening sect, needs to be monitored very closely indeed.