The News of the World's decision to "name and shame" paedophiles was criticised by the British Home Secretary, Mr Jack Straw, yesterday after a mob attacked an innocent man's home.
Vigilantes confronted Mr Iain Armstrong (49) of Bradford, Greater Manchester, yesterday after mistaking him for a child abuser pictured in the Sunday newspaper. The paper has been widely criticised by ministers, police chiefs, probation officers and other experts for putting children's lives at greater risk.
But last night the paper's new editor, Rebekah Wade, pledged that more of the UK's 110,000 convicted child abusers would be identified in a campaign inspired by the murder of eight-year-old Sarah Payne.
Sarah Payne's parents, Michael and Sara, repeated their backing for the campaign, saying it would protect youngsters.
Mr Armstrong wept and said he was watching TV with two of his sons when the thugs gathered in the street outside. Mr Armstrong, who suffers from viral meningitis and a spinal disorder, said: "I wish I would wake up and find that all this is just a bad dream. He told the BBC: "They were shouting `paedophile' and `racist' and all sorts of other stuff. I was petrified."
Mr Armstrong later sobbed: "It has been hell. They just wouldn't go away."
He told Sky News he thought paedophiles should be named but added: "It shouldn't be able to backfire on people like me."
It was thought the group mistook him for Peter Smith (60) of Warrington, who was pictured wearing a similar neck brace among 49 child abusers featured in the paper.
Ex-wife Melanie Armstrong, (42) who lives next door, said she was struck by a rock one of the vigilantes hurled through her front window.
"They say they want to protect children, but what about mine?" she added.
Mr Alan Green, Assistant Chief Constable of Greater Manchester Police, blamed the incident on an "irresponsible reaction of emotive stories in a national newspaper".
And later Mr Straw said the News of the World should have listened to senior officers who warned of the dangers of driving offenders underground.
"In our judgment the press in these matters ought to act on the advice of the police, above all, who have the concern of the public safety there before them," he said.
A suspect in the hunt for the killer of eight-year-old Sarah Payne was in custody yesterday on suspicion of stealing a car.
Sussex police said a 41-year-old man was seized following a high-speed chase.
The man, of no fixed abode, appeared at Crawley magistrates' court yesterday morning. He was charged with three offences - theft, assault and aggravated taking of a vehicle.
Magistrates remanded the man in custody for a week after police objected to bail. The man, said to be living in a tent at the time his arrest, cannot be named