A JEHOVA'S Witness has slammed her Farnworth congregation for continuing to welcome a convicted sex offender.

But the congregation's elders have said the long term future of the man within the Jehova's Witness group had not yet been decided.

Keith Knowles was found guilty of indecently assaulting a teenage girl at the start of July, but -- until being jailed a month later -- continued to be welcomed into the Farnworth Jehova's Witnesses congregation.

And today a member of that congregation bitterly criticised the decision to continue supporting him.

Knowles, aged 60, was jailed for 12 months and ordered to sign the Sex Offenders' Register for 10 years when he appeared at Bolton Crown Court.

Despite protesting his innocence, he was found guilty of indecently assaulting a teenage girl.

The Farnworth Jehova's Witness congregation meet at Old Lane, Little Hulton, twice a week, on Tuesday evenings and Sunday afternoons.

A member of the congregation said: "I had been waiting and hoping for something to be done about this man. But we have been given the opposite message -- that he should receive our support. "This is not the first time someone convicted of such crimes has been welcomed by the congregation and it makes me extremely angry.

"He is a convicted criminal and this goes against the Bible's principles. They teach us one thing and practise another.

"I think he should have at least been publicly reprimanded by the congregation. Yet if it is known that I am speaking out I am the one who will be ostracised.

"I keep going because I believe in all the major principles of being a Jehova's Witness.

"But I do not think this man should be tolerated by an organisation which has such high morals."

However, a spokesman on behalf of the congregation's elders, said: "We have a very clear policy towards anyone convicted of being a paedophile. We in no way condone or shield them.

"It is a disgusting and abhorrent thing to do.

"We have a very keen desire to protect the welfare of every young one in the congregation. I have a 10-year-old daughter myself.

"When any member of our congregation is convicted of a crime we will monitor them very closely to ensure no one is at risk. And we would always wholeheartedly support any court action taken. Had this case come to light within the congregation we would have ensured Mr Knowles had been taken to the police, or would have brought it to the attention of the police. "At the moment he is in prison but after his conviction, before he was sentenced, he was allowed to attend services. But we did ensure restrictions were placed upon him.

"His long term future within the congregation is still under discussion. Whether he is allowed to remain within the congregation remains to be seen.

"But we also have to think in terms of his wife and family. We will not turn our backs on them and would like to try to support them, and help them emotionally.

"We are a Christian society and will offer support. If Mr Knowles wants help within the realms of counselling for example, it will be offered to him."