THE mother of a child sex attack victim is furious after her daughter’s abuser was released from prison after just four months.

Kevin Sherwood was jailed for 18 months on August 31 last year after pleading guilty to nine charges of sexual activity with a child and three counts of causing a child to watch a sexual act, between May and November 2011.

Bournemouth Crown Court heard how the father-of-four had touched some girls, shown one a pornographic film and carried out a sexual act in front of another.

His seven victims were aged between 13 and 15.

The court was told how Sherwood’s house in Trinidad Crescent, Poole, had been a “magnet” for schoolchildren buying cigarettes and drink before the girls were molested.

Parents of his young victims slammed the “light” sentence handed down by Judge Peter Johnson; 12 months for the sexual offences and six months for breaching a suspended sentence order.

Now one Poole mother, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, said: “The police have told me Sherwood was freed last on January 11.

“But they won’t tell me where he is living; he is from Poole so I assume he has come back here.

“It feels like he is being protected more than we are.

“Sherwood threatened my daughter before his arrest, saying: ‘Don’t bother telling anyone because I know where you live and what car your mum drives.’ “Now it’s us who are prisoners; we feel so vulnerable in our own home that we have asked the council to re-house us.”

The 38-year-old recalled how her daughter’s life had spiralled out of control after Sherwood had abused her.

She said: “I knew nothing about what he had done to her until I received a call from her school.

“I still don’t know everything because she won’t talk about it and I couldn’t face going to court to hear the sordid details.

“My daughter has had counselling, she started smoking and self-harming; cutting her wrists and burning herself with her hair straighteners.

“At the age of 15 she was on anti-depressants.

“It’s put terrible pressure on the whole family.

I’ve been seeing a psychiatrist and blame myself because I’m her mum and I wasn’t able to protect her.”

“When I told her Sherwood had been released she said: ‘He will come and get me.’ “We are all terrified he will move back to this area; he was evicted from his house but could move in next door.”

Sherwood, 53, who has been released on licence, was told to register as a sex offender for 10 years.

He has been banned from working with children for the same period.