Craig Meehan, 39, had been living in a semi-detached, council-owned bungalow in Paddock, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, just 25 yards from a nursery for the last two years, neighbours claim
The paedophile former boyfriend of evil kidnap mum Karen Matthews has been chased out of his latest home after graffiti outed him as living just 500 yards from a primary school.
Craig Meehan, 39, had been living in a semi-detached, council-owned bungalow in Paddock, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, just 25 yards from a nursery for the last two years, neighbours claim.
But locals say the convicted sex offender fled the property three weeks ago, just days after the graffiti was sprayed on the side of his home on July 14. Police have since confirmed that the “victim of the offence” is “no longer living at the address”.
Photos show black graffiti which reads: “Peado Craig Meehan lives here”, “Shanon Mathews (sic)”, and “Pedophile (sic). Wat a c***.” It is believed his home was ‘tagged’ twice in one week. This week there was no sign of Meehan at the address which he shared with his partner, 53, and their pet dog.
Meehan, who is on the Sex Offenders’ Register, has lived in Huddersfield since leaving Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, when he was beaten up by an angry dad. This is now believed to be the sixth time he has moved since his release from prison in 2008. Meehan was convicted of possessing 49 indecent images of children in 2008 and jailed for 20 weeks.
He was dating Karen Matthews — dubbed Britain’s most hated mum — when she was charged with kidnapping her own daughter Shannon, then aged nine, as well as child neglect and perverting the course of justice. Meehan was not involved in the kidnap of Shannon and was never charged with any offences relating to the sick plot, which Matthews hatched to claim a £50,000 reward.
Neighbour Stacy Emery, 33, said: “It made my skin crawl that he was living there. I have to walk my daughter’s past his house everyday to school and it made me sick to think he was looking. Now he has gone I think the area is safer, especially for the children.”
Stacy first heard about Meehan living in the area in July 2023 from a social media post uploaded by a predator group. She added: “The post said to beware of Craig who is now living in Paddock and it had an address.
“I have to walk past the house most days to go into town for instance, so I glanced over through the window and I recognised him straight away. I saw him playing on his Xbox through the back window – it was 100 per cent him.”
She then decided to post on social media about him living in the property to further spread awareness. She added: “I wasn’t happy about someone like this living in my area. It was mainly for parents and their children’s protection.”
Stacy revealed she had seen him a number of times in and outside the house and walking on the nearby streets. She also recalled seeing a woman believed to be his partner coming in and out of the house.
Other neighbours have confirmed Meehan stayed in the property. His next door neighbour said: “I’ve seen him a couple of times and said ‘hello’ but then just left him to it. I didn’t see them often. You know the score with him.” Another said: “There has been talk of him living there. I was never bothered though – he has done his time – live and let live.”
The convicted paedophile’s property is sat just 25 yards from a local nursery, though this was only built a year after he had moved in 2024. It is also just 500 yards from a primary and secondary school.
Stacy has revealed many locals “didn’t know who he was” or that he was “living nearby” until his house was tagged just over three weeks ago. The last time Stacy saw Meehan was on Friday, July 11, three days before it was spray painted.
She said: “I was nearby and I saw him walking on the pavement and immediately crossed the road. Then on the following Monday I was walking home from dropping my daughter off at school and I saw the graffiti on the wall. It was a very quick job. It stayed on there for a day then it was scrubbed off.”
Stacy was then told just four days later on July 18 the property was ‘tagged’ again but this time it was removed the same day. One resident said they saw “two police cars parked outside” the house while it was being removed.
Now the bungalow lies empty with blinds fully closed, though furniture can still be seen inside. Neighbours also believe he has “moved on” as his small dog has also not been “seen or heard” since too.
But many locals are “outraged” that he was allowed to reside so close to several schools. One woman said: “Why do they (the council) think it is appropriate to put him there. Just put him in a high-rise or something so he is out of the way. We only found out about it because of the graffiti.”
West Yorkshire Police said: “We can confirm that a report of criminal damage was received on July 14. The local authority was informed to assist with the removal of the graffiti.” Kirklees Council confirmed it owned property and the authority had “removed the graffiti”.
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