Sex Offender Ordered to Remain on Registry

A judge has ruled that a Manchester man convicted of sexually assaulting a teenager almost 30 years ago must stay on the state's sex offender registry until he proves he's no longer dangerous.

The offender, called John Doe in court papers, had asked to be removed from the registry so he could live in federally subsidized public housing.

A court ruled in February that since he was convicted before the registry was created, Doe could petition to remove his name from the registry. Doe's lawyers say that eligibility was enough to change his offender status and open the way to public housing.

Prosecutors argued that he had to prove at a hearing that he wasn't dangerous and in a ruling this week, Merrimack Superior Court Judge Richard McNamara agreed.