False 'paedo' claims sicken Truro lollipop man
A TRURO lollipop man has been left sickened after his estate was plastered with signs falsely claiming he was a paedophile.
Andrew Banfield, 47, said he considered "packing in" his job after more than a dozen posters with the word "paedo" and his address were put up around Trelander last week.
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Andrew Banfield, with one of the malicious signs that had been posted around the estate where he lives.
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Andrew Banfield, who has had signs accusing him of being a paedophile posted around the estate where he lives. Ref:TRJJ20120917B-002_C
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Andrew Banfield, who has had signs accusing him of being a paedophile posted around the estate where he lives. Ref:TRJJ20120917B-003_C
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Andrew Banfield, with one of the signs that had been posted around the estate where he lives. Ref:TRJJ20120917B-004_C
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Andrew Banfield and his son Ashley, who has had signs accusing his dad of being a paedophile, posted around the estate where they live. Ref:TRJJ20120917B-005_C
It was the third time since November last year the innocent father of one has been subjected to what police called slanderous hatred against an individual.
"There has never been any allegations of paedophilia and I have never been investigated for such offences and the whole thing is totally made up," Mr Banfield told the West Briton this week.
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"I do not know why this is happening, we have got clean records.
"We find this very upsetting, heartbreaking and it makes me feel sick.
"I work at Archbishop Benson School and I have thought about packing in my job because this is really hard. But I am going to try to hold my head up high and carry on."
According to Mr Banfield, trouble started last year.
He said: "This situation is terrible.
"My wife is in tears and stressed but we are trying to keep a brave face. I am a respectable person doing a respectable job and my son Ashley is training to become a chef so we are trying to get on in life.
"This is disgusting and nasty behaviour. We are innocent people so it is not on.
"I want to clear my name."
Inspector Mark Richards, from Truro police, confirmed the force was investigating the distribution of the posters. "We are aware that this family has had problems before.
"We are trying to find out who is putting posters up and monitoring the situation.
"What's going on is slanderous – we are concerned about someone trying to steer hatred against an individual or a family."
Comments
by Doitdreckley
Friday, September 21 2012, 4:38PM
“That is wholly possible Truro 'England' but please do not use offensive language like 'benefits scum' that would upset and anger genuine claimants.”
by Truro_England
Thursday, September 20 2012, 5:04PM
“@doitdreckley I was born in Truro and know many people good and bad in Trelander. There are many work shy people there who have never and will never work and breed children who follow them the same way in crime or just living on benefits!!”
by cheekyman_jr
Thursday, September 20 2012, 4:37PM
“My sympathies go out to this man...but did TIC really have to take a photo of him with a sign saying *****?”
by Doitdreckley
Thursday, September 20 2012, 3:55PM
“To Truro 'England'. Just because people are claiming benefits does not mean they are 'scum'. The vast majority of people either do not want to be on benefits or cannot avoid it because they are disabled or there are no jobs.”
by Phil_lip
Thursday, September 20 2012, 3:22PM
“If they can jail someone for posting things on facebook about the death of soldiers and abusive comments about footballers then whoever is doing this needs to be put away. Hopefully the morons that have done this have left evidence on the posters because they clearly don't have a clue about much and this will be dealt with quickly by the police.
If anyone that lives in the area sees these things again do not touch them but take one off with tweesers and put in a bag to give to the police.”
by Truro_England
Thursday, September 20 2012, 10:12AM
“I feel so sorry for the man and his family, its bad enough having to live in Trelander with all the benefit scum up there but to have this is so wrong!!
And by the sounds of it his family have had problems living there but nothing gets done, maybe someone from the council should try living there.”