‘Canterbury Cannibal’ who tried to eat teen girl is living in the U.S.; worried neighbors want him gone

A budding cannibal who made plans to cook and eat a 14-year-old has moved to a neighborhood close to Blair, Nebraska, leaving several residents worried and in fear.

Omaha World-Herald reports that Dale Bolinger, 62, also known as the “Canterbury Cannibal” was convicted in 2014 in Canterbury, England, for “sexually grooming” a teen girl online in 2012, and attempting to meet her, with plans to behead her and eat her after having sex with her. The victim luckily never showed up to meet him.

According to the BBC, Bolinger told authorities he was interested in killing children so he could have them for food. He also showed authorities a photo on a computer CD that depicted a young girl on a serving plate with an apple stuffed in her mouth. Bolinger admitted that he has had “cannibalistic fantasies” since he was a 6-year-old.

Bolinger is an American citizen who was living in England at the time of the incident. A British judge sentenced him to nine years in prison but he was released early. It’s still unclear why he was allowed to leave the country.

On Jan. 4, Bolinger registered himself as a sex offender in the Blair area of Nebraska. When neighbors caught that a sex offender moved into the area, they were upset and disturbed, according to AJC. Authorities responded to the complaints on Monday and tried to ease the residents’ fears.

“We want to inform the citizens of Washington County that law enforcement and the county attorney’s office know the location of Mr. Bolinger and you can rest assured that he (sic) not a threat to the community at this time,”  WashingtonCounty Attorney Scott Vander Schaaf said.

Resident Sylvia Kasper said she was petrified when she learned Bolinger moved into her neighborhood.

“It’s making my heart race. It’s scary considering I have a small day care, and now I really have to watch and keep doors locked.”

Washington County Sheriff Mike Robinson said they are doing everything possible to keep the area safe. He recently performed a compliance check and spoke with a woman in the area with a young child. Since Bolinger legally registered himself as a sex offender, however, he is legally allowed to stay.

“We’re just as frustrated as everybody else,” Robinson said.

[Feature Photo: Dale Bolinger/Washington County Sheriff’s Office]