The far right EDL has distanced itself from a dangerous armed robber and paedophile who has gone on the run.
Police have launched a manhunt for Mark Sleman, who also uses the name Archie Sleman, who once kidnapped and tried to rape a 10-year-old child after he left an Exeter bail hostel where he was meant to live after being released from Exeter Prison.
He was released under licence earlier this year as part of a seven-year sentence for robbing a homeless man at knifepoint and attempting to rob a garage shop supervisor in Exeter, again armed with a knife.
In a statement Kieran Hallett, EDL regional organiser, Exeter division leader, said: "The EDL would like to point out that Mark Sleman is not an EDL supporter/member, he liked a couple of the SW Facebook pages and by liking a page this does not make you an active supporter.
"Mark Sleman, to the best of our knowledge, has never travelled to any demos with any of the local divisions and has not attended any of the local meetings. Mark Sleman is not welcome in the EDL now or in the future."
Earlier this year Sleman is reported to have made a series of vile, racist posts on Facebook.
The probation service withdrew Sleman's licence as they are no longer able to supervise him and a police manhunt has been launched to get him back behind bars.
Police believe Sleman is still in the Exeter area and the public has been warned not to approach him but to call 999 immediately if they see him. A police spokesman said: "It is very important to get him in because of the kind of guy he is. We believe he is still in Exeter and we have mainly been looking at areas and addresses he had links to and carrying out checks."
Sleman category of offending means he has spent nearly 20 of his 42 years locked up and when he was jailed at Exeter Crown Court in November 2008 the judge considered an "indefinite term" which would have meant he could only be released if he could prove to the Home Secretary he was no longer a danger to the public.
Anyone who knows the current whereabouts of Sleman or has seen him recently is asked to contact police on 101 quoting police reference DE/13/8408
