An innocent dad mistaken for a sex offender has once again been the target of vigilante attackers.

Terry Edwards, 33, was dragged out of his East Malling home by a man armed with a knife and beaten up before his car's windows were smashed in.

His own 10-year-old daughter has begun asking him what the word "nonce" means as passers-by continue to hurl abuse at the wrong man.

Mr Edwards became the focus of a hate campaign when a Snodland man with the same name was jailed for four years after having sex with a 14-year-old girl.

The unemployed dad-of-four said: "I heard a bang on my front door and I answered it but there wasn't anyone there.

Then at 2am someone knocked the door and made out they were from Kent Police.

"I opened the door and a man dragged me outside and have me a good kicking and called me a nonce. He tried stabbing me.

"The next day I was driving down the road and a Mercedes pulled up and two blokes got out and beat me up."

Mr Edwards's Vauxhall Cavalier was also targeted last week and all four windows were smashed, forcing it to be scrapped.

His family are also suffering as a result of the abuse that has begun to resurface seven years on from when the 49-year-old Terry Edwards, from Snodland, was jailed.

The paedophile was serving a four-year jail sentence after admitting one charge of sexual activity with a child in 2011.

A court heard how he had "slowly but surely" insinuated his way into the younger girl's life, professing his love and even offering marriage.

Before that conviction, Edwards had already been put on probation on 1987 for indecently assaulting a boy and was jailed in 1993 for a series sexual offence with a boy.

"I have had to tape up the letterbox because I'm worried something is going to come through it..." - Terry Edwards

He is now free to walk the streets of Snodland where he lives.

Mr Edwards said: "I'm scared to go out anywhere. I just worry all the time and I have had to tape up the letterbox because I'm worried something is going to come through it.

"There are people just pulling up outside the house and sitting there."

The first indication something was wrong came in 2011 when a brick was thrown through Mr Edwards' living room window just after the predator was caged. Three months later his Peugeot car was set on fire.

Seven years on he said: "It's a nightmare. I'm scared to pick my kids up from school because I don't know when I'm going to get attacked.

"My little girl has only just turned 10 and she is asking me what a nonce is."

Officers are continuing to investigate both attacks on Mr Edwards and anyone with information is asked to call 01622 604100, quoting reference 46/57413/19. Alternatively contact Kent Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 5555111.

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