Police have met a "wall of silence" after a convicted paedophile was battered to death in his home.

Murder squad detectives yesterday appealed for the public to "put their prejudices to one side" in a bid to catch the killer of pervert Arnold Hartley.

Retired electrician Hartley, 73, was found by police called to his run-down terraced house in Redcar.

It is feared he could have been the victim of a vigilante attacker angered by his sex crimes.

Yesterday, the man leading the hunt for the murderer said there was nothing to suggest he had re-offended despite sightings of youngsters entering his house.

Detective Superintendent Brian Dunn said he had received information that young girls had started visiting Mr Hartley's home in Queen Street, Redcar, over the past three to four months.

Hartley, a loner who had never married, was on the sex offenders' register and considered a "medium risk" to children after he was jailed for a year in August, 2001.

He admitted taking indecent photographs of a girl under 14 and one offence of gross indecency involving the youngster when he appeared at Teesside Crown Court.

He was released from prison in April, 2002, and went back to live at the home he used to share with his parents in Queen Street.

In the following months, he became the constant target of local people who knew he was a sex offender.

His home was attacked and he was verbally abused, according to police.

His body was found on Saturday night after police were called to his home following a disturbance. He had been beaten and suffered injuries to his head and face.

Det Supt Dunn said: "We have information children were starting to revisit Queen Street and that is part of our lines of inquiry.

"At this stage we can't give any more information."

A 28-year-old man and a woman, aged 20, were arrested and questioned over the killing but were later released without charge.

Det Supt Dunn, said yesterday: "This man has been murdered and our inquiries have been met by a wall of silence."

Police have received only one phone call from the public.

One neighbour said: "This man was constantly abused in the street, and stones were thrown at his windows."

Anyone with any information is asked to contact (01642) 302626.