Public Safety Minister Terry Lister last night urged residents to allow released murderer Chesterfield Johnson to live his life in peace after a warning was posted on the Bermuda.com website.

The warning was written in the discussion forum of the website on Saturday evening by a member of the public urging people to be on their guard around the area of Spittal Pond in Smith's.

It said Mr. Chesterfield, who served 20 years for the rape and murder of an 11 year old girl before being released in 1999, was "hanging out" at the spot.

And, within two days, the message had been picked up and replied to by a concerned local dog walker - as well as by someone from overseas planning to visit the Island in the coming weeks.

The overseas response, which had been posted by a woman named Suzi, read: "Am coming to Bermuda in a couple of weeks - can you let me know where this place is so that I avoid the area."

But Mr. Lister said, while he would always encourage people to be cautious in all situations, the community had to allow Mr. Johnson the same freedoms as everyone else.

He said: "Mr. Johnson has done his time and he has earned his right to live in this community, the same as everybody else.

"Undoubtedly, one cannot predict the behaviour of every single member of the community, but I would like to think that Mr. Johnson has been rehabilitated, justifiably released and that he will get on with his life.

"I think it's unfortunate that individuals feel they should take it upon themselves to put things on websites as sometimes these are more destructive than productive.

"Nevertheless, it's always wise to take precautions."

And he said, for example, Police, with his encouragement, continued to advise Bermudians to lock the doors and windows of their homes.

He said criminals looked for the easy option and so would target houses where windows and doors were open, rather than those that were locked up.

And likewise, he said, people should have the same kind of mindset over their personal safety.

He added: "Taking extra precautions is something I would advise, and, therefore if people are going out, I would say be careful, particularly early in the morning and late at night. I have caught the early flight out of Bermuda on many occasions and it astounds me that there are women out walking by themselves.

"Extra precautions is something I would whole heartedly advise, without the likes of Chesterfield Johnson. Children need protection and children need to be protected from themselves. We have to be responsible and if we just leave our children to go about on their own, we are not being responsible."

Police media spokesman Dwayne Caines gave a similar message. He said people should always be vigilant, anyway.

He said: "Chesterfield Johnson has paid his debt to society. If he is not doing anything suspicious or anything that constitutes a crime, then he has the right to be where he so chooses.

"However, the community must remain vigilant so that the most vulnerable members of society, who are our children and our elderly, are at all times protected.

"We would like to advise the public to make sure that their children are accompanied by a suitable adult or guardian, and where ever possible to advise Police of anything suspicious."

The warning on the website follows an outcry earlier this year from parents in Somerset who were concerned that Mr. Johnson was hanging around their area.

Police showed photographs of Mr. Johnson to schools in the Somerset area as a precaution after he was seen roaming nearby.

Parents held a public meeting to discuss the issue, and later called for a register of sex offenders to be set up so their movements could be traced once they left the confines of prison.

However, Mr. Johnson hit back at the concerns and said he was now rehabilitated and no threat to any child.

Mr. Johnson was convicted of the 1978 murder of young Connie Furtado, who was a pupil at Paget Primary School. He raped the student before strangling her with her necktie.

He was at first sentenced to death, but then had the sentence overturned on appeal and reduced to manslaughter.