PRESSURE is growing on Hearts Football Club to reverse its decision not to sack a convicted sex offender.
Two children's charities and the mother of one of predator Craig Thomson's victims yesterday spoke over the club's decision to retain the player following his conviction for targeting young girls 
The 20-year-old right-back from Bonnyrigg was placed on the sex offenders' register for five years and fined £4000 earlier this month, after admitting lewd, libidinous and indecent behaviour.
The Scotland Under-21 internationalist targeted two young girls
Although Thomson did not fly out with the rest of the squad to a pre-season training camp in Italy at the weekend, Hearts had earlier confirmed that he can resume his career following an internal investigation and an apology from the player.
The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children urged the club to keep him away from children during official duties. Thomson has previously represented his club at an event with Barnardo's.
A spokeswoman said: "If Hearts continue to employ the player, they must make sure they manage the child protection risks of doing so.
"It will be important to make sure they do not put the player in a position where he would have contact with children."
Kate Higgins, policy manager of Children 1st, said on radio: "We believe that Hearts football club needs to look again at this situation. Not taking action to protect children from the risk of sexual harm is unacceptable.
"Allowing convicted sex offenders to continue working where they will have direct and indirect contact with children is wrong."
It came as the mother of one of Thomson's victims, who was aged 12 when the offences took place, claimed that he had been let off by the club who were not taking it seriously.
She told a Sunday newspaper: "The only thing that will teach him a lesson is if he goes. Football is all he cares about.
"Hearts are a family club and if he continues in football, he is obviously going to be around children.
"But who would take their kids to a game when they know he is on the pitch?"
The Herald contacted several firms and charities with links to the club yesterday, including Umbro, Wonga.com, an online betting firm, league sponsors Clydesdale Bank, Erskine veterans' charity and Barnardo's. They either declined to comment or were unavailable.
The Scottish Premier League appears unable to become involved in the debate. An insider said: "The reality is [that] the decision on which players to sign and which players to release is a matter for the clubs themselves. The code of conduct is at club level."
In a statement released on Friday, Hearts said: "The club believes that there is no reason for Craig Thomson not to continue his career as a professional footballer and he will resume training with immediate effect.
"In reaching this decision, the club accepted that there are sufficient mitigating circumstances that provide significant assurance that the player's conduct, no matter how distasteful, was the result of a grave error of judgment due to naivety and possible wrong outside influence rather than anything more sinister and it will not be repeated.
"The club views this matter very seriously and does not condone the behaviour of the player.
"Appropriate action to prevent any further development of unlawful activities has been taken."
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