A CONVICTED paedophile has been found not guilty of breaching a sexual offences order.

Lancaster, aged 42, was cleared of persistently loitering outside a primary school while youngsters played in the playground at Chester Crown Court on Wednesday.

Peter Lancaster, aged 42, denied breaking the sex offender's order, which prohibits him from waiting near school, shops and business until the order expires in 2008.

Prosecutor Simon Parry claimed Lancaster was seen outside when there were young children playing in the playground.

Mr Parry stated: "He had his hand down his tracksuit downs."

The court heard Lancaster, originally from Padgate but who had been living at Linden Bank bail hostel, was accused of lurking outside the school on several occasions.

But defence barrister Michael Davies refuted the claim that Lancaster had flouted the conditions of the order.

The defendant sported a black eye and swollen face after he was attacked in prison on Monday night.

He had been in custody since his arrest on February 16.

l Lancaster was jailed for two-and-a-half years in 2004 after pleading guilty to two breaches of a court order 12 months earlier.

On that occasion he broke the order by following two girls, aged 12 and 13, after seeing them playing in the street near his home.

He breached it a second time, by lowering his trousers in Buttermarket Street and then again at Warrington Central Station.