WANDSWORTH: 'Child sex offender' found murdered (From This Is Local London)

Child sex offender found murdered in Riverside Road

12:30pm Friday 12th December 2008 in News

A man thought to be a child sex offender was found hacked to death in his caravan.

The victim was 52-year-old Andrew Cunningham, according to the Sun. He died after suffering multiple stab wounds to the head, neck and chest.

Mr Cunningham was set upon by a baying mob who left him naked and covered in blood in his caravan, the paper reported.

The victim, found at business premises in Riverside Road, also suffered "non-fatal injuries" to other parts of his body, police said.

vAccording to the Sun, they included wounds to his genitals. He was found naked and covered in blood in his caravan on the site, the paper added.

The Metropolitan Police said the gruesome discovery was made at 8am on Wednesday at the Windmill Business Centre situated just off Garratt Lane.

"The man, believed to be in his mid-50s, was pronounced dead at the scene. He had suffered injuries believed to be stab wounds," the force said.

"The post mortem investigation revealed non-fatal injuries to other parts of his body but we are not discussing these further for operational reasons."

The Sun also reported the man spent four months in jail in 2001 for raping a girl aged under 13 and was arrested again in 2002, although no charges were pressed.

He had reportedly been targeted by vigilantes before. His former house had been set on fire soon after he was released from jail, the paper said.

The reason for the attack is unclear at the moment but rumours circulating among locals suggest the man had recently interfered with a two-year-old.

It has also been suggested in the national media that the man was removed from the sex offenders register because of fears of reprisals.

Detective Chief Inspector Nick Scola, leading the investigation, said: "We're currently at an early stage in our inquiries and are keeping an open mind about the circumstances of this man's death.

"I would ask anyone who was in the area last night or in the early hours of this morning and saw or heard anything suspicious to get in touch with us."

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Incident Room on 020 8721 4138 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.