AN elderly couple whose window was smashed by thugs today believe the attack was linked to the jailing of a paedophile who once lived nearby.

Dorothy Warren, 79, and her husband, Edward, 73, who suffers from Parkinson's Disease, were shocked when a rock was thrown through the window of their Merton Court home, landing close to their bed.

They believe the attack, at 6.30am, is linked to the conviction of child sex monster David Lutz Ward. The 41-year-old was jailed for 19 years at York Crown Court on Friday after admitting attempting to rape a nine-month-old baby and distributing dozens of indecent images of children.

York Police said today that another attack with fruit and stones by youths on the building took place on Saturday at about 11pm.

Mrs Warren, who still works part-time as a cleaner and has lived in the flat for 34 years, said no one in the neighbourhood had any connection with Ward.

She said: "People just seem to go out of their mind when it's something to do with paedophiles.

"There's a lot of elderly people living in these flats and none of us even knew Ward. We hardly ever spoke to him.

"We just don't know what to do now, whether to move out or something. It's going to be a struggle to sleep tonight."

She said a young woman in her twenties who lives in the same block left yesterday to go and live with her parents in Scarborough because of her fears about incidents like this.

Sgt Colin Ventress, of York police, said officers would visit Mr and Mrs Warren as soon as possible.

Updated: 10:40 Monday, June 21, 2004