'High-risk' child rapist Stephen Pennington hunted

Stephen Pennington was described as "a real risk to children and women"

Police are looking for a child rapist who breached his licence conditions.

Stephen Pennington, 35, was jailed in 2009 and imprisoned again in 2022 for breaches of a sexual harm prevention order.

The registered sex offender, who is being recalled to prison, has links to Blackburn, Blackpool and Wigan, Lancashire Police said.

He is described as white, slim, about 6ft (1.8m) tall and has short receding dark brown hair.

Det Con Stewart Marshall, from Lancashire Police, said: "Pennington is a high-risk sex offender who presents a real risk to children and women and I would appeal to anyone who sees him or knows where he could be to get in touch."

The force said he was jailed last year after authorities found he had begun a relationship with a woman, between September and December 2021, and was in contact with her children.

While there was "no suggestion" he harmed the children, he had knowingly breached the conditions of licence, which prevents him from contacting anyone under the age of 18.

Police said he had used the false name Stephen Johnson during this time.

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