A paedophile pensioner was released from prison - despite refusing to undergo any therapy during his 13 years behind bars.

Serial predator Raymond Hawes, 81, molested children in Ipswich during the 1960s and 70s.

One of his victims has now criticised parole chiefs for releasing Hawes on licence - as it emerged government ministers also tried to block his parole.

Parole chiefs admitted Hawes, who lived around 200yds away from Ipswich’s St Pancras Primary School before he was arrested, still had an “enduring interest in children”.

His victim, now in their 60s, said: “The only time I want to see him out of a prison cell is in a wooden box.

“He is a monster and he will never be rehabilitated. They should have thrown away the key years ago.

“It’s dreadful to think he is back on the streets.”

Hawes was handed an indefinite sentence in 2006 after being convicted of buggery, attempted rape and indecent assault of children aged between five and 15.

The child abuser was told he would only be released after proving he was no longer a public danger.

Yet parole bosses agreed to release him from prison despite being “an untreated sex offender” who “had an enduring interest in children”.

Papers show the government challenged the decision, claiming it would be “irrational” to free Hawes back into society.

But the appeal to the Parole Board of England and Wales was denied.

Appeal chairman James Orrell admitted: “This was a difficult decision and it is not inconceivable that a different panel could have come to a different conclusion.

“The panel decided that the combination of independent accommodation with care support combined with a robust risk management plan and the involvement of MAPPA (multi-agency public protection arrangements) was likely to be effective.

“I am not persuaded this decision was irrational.”

Hawes, who suffers from vascular disease and diabetes, assaulted children including foster daughter Lorraine Garwood.

Mrs Garwood, who died in 2016 aged 46, had previously campaigned to keep her abuser locked up.

She warned shortly before her sudden death: “He’s just a monster – a sexual monster.

“I believe there’s no way that man is ever going to stop. He just can’t help himself.”