WARREN Parker, who tracked down paedophile and burglar Owen Crowther, is a true hero.

Thanks to Mr Parker, the exceptionally dangerous Crowther has been locked up.

The creature was on a life licence for attempted murder when he broke into the Parker family home, stole a laptop and began filling its memory with foul images.

For every downloader of child pornography who is caught and imprisoned, and whose sentence deters others, there is less of a market for child pornography. A smaller market means that, although the scourge will never be eliminated entirely, there is less of a financial incentive for such images to be produced and distributed.

Crowther has demonstrated that he is unfit to be on the loose in a civilised society.

Among other activities, he tried to end the life of a fellow human being, and was jailed for life. Unfortunately he was subsequently able to pull the wool over the eyes of a parole board and convince them he was a reformed character.

Were it not for that decision, the Parkers would not have been burgled and would not have been deprived of precious heirlooms.

Even more importantly, photographs of the Parker children would not have fallen into the hands of this abhorrent pervert, and the family would not have felt obliged to move home.

The only comfort we can take from this affair is that Crowther is at least back where be belongs.

He has been told he might spend the rest of his life in prison, although he is technically eligible for release in a year.

If that happens, it will make an utter mockery of justice, and those who agreed to the uncaging of this monster would prove themselves gullible fools.

May Owen Crowther remain in custody until he is too infirm to be a danger.