A NEIGHBOUR of a paedophile has protested that the council house where he lived is still boarded up six months after he was jailed for life.

Martyn Coles, 55, of Milverton, who was given after his trial five concurrent life sentences for 17 offences ranging from rape to indecent assault against six underage girls, will spend at least 15 years behind bars.

But Janice Dawe is angry that his three-bedroom house in Creedwell Orchard has not been rented out to someone else.

“It’s disgusting,” said Mrs Dawe. “He was arrested over a year ago and his house has just been left boarded up with his contents inside ever since.

“With the homeless problem in the Taunton area, you’d think they could do something to move someone else in.

“Nothing seems to be being done.”

A Taunton Deane Council spokeswoman said that legally the authority was still unable to move in a new tenant.

She said: “The property remains tenanted (by Coles) and until that legal position is resolved the council cannot regain possession and move to re-let it.”