A CHARITY boss involved in plans for a hostel for the homeless at Selby has made a dramatic U-turn on the policy on admission of sex offenders.

The director of Emmaus UK, Tim Page, reassured protesters at a meeting on Monday that no sex offender would ever be admitted into one of their community homes.

He pledged that if someone had a history of sex offences they would not take them.

But today Mr Page told the Evening Press that the official charity policy was to carry out a risk assessment of anyone on the sex offenders' register. They would only refuse admission if there was any risk of re-offending.

He said: "In the cold light of day, and after further consultation with those responsible for running Emmaus communities, I am happy to clarify our policy.

"The Emmaus Startup manual directly addresses the issue of sex offenders. It says we are not able to accept anyone on the sexual offenders' register without a proper risk assessment.

"If there is any question that that person might reoffend, particularly involving children, then we would not accept them."

Mr Page, who is based at Emmaus headquarters in Cambridge, declined to comment on the retraction of his statement that sex offenders would never be admitted into one of their hostels.

His original stance was taken during a visit on Monday to an Emmaus community at Mossley, near Manchester.

The charity arranged for a party of Barlby residents, local councillors and Selby MP John Grogan to visit the hostel in a bid to reassure objectors that the Barlby Farm project posed no risk to the local community.

Protesters said they feared the charity's "open door policy" could allow paedophiles, ex-drug addicts and long-term prisoners to live there.

Mr Page was adamant throughout their visit that no-one on the sex offenders' register would be allowed to live in the Barlby Farm community.

Ousebank resident Paul Hill, who went to Mossley, slammed what he called a blatant U-turn.

He said: "It's disgraceful. Tim Page's statement during a question and answer session at Mossley now appears misleading."

Mr Grogan said: "Like every school, church and voluntary organisation, Emmaus must have a clear policy on child protection.

"Ambiguity is just not acceptable."

Updated: 14:58 Wednesday, August 21, 2002