Worried about neighbour

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I don't really know what to do here so I'm after some advice.
We moved to our home 13 months ago and are really happy here. Our neighbours are all friendly and will happily wave and chat to us.
There is a gentleman that lives on our street and he always makes an effort to wave at us and talk to us if we meet outside. He's so kind and DS always points at his home and shouts his name and waved to him (whether he is home or not)
I've never had any reason to be worried until earlier.
I was outside and a woman walked passed with two teenage boys. One of the boys said "look mum it's the pedophiles house" and pointed straight to neighbours house. Mother replied "I know, keep walking and don't look"
I was with my DS so didn't want to say anything and I was shocked.
I spoke to DH and he's adamant they must be right. I've told him it could just be a rumour as neighbour lives on his own since his wife died.
So basically my AIBU (if it is)
DH wants to move
I don't want to until I know for sure.
Obviously, if we live near a convicted pedophile then I will do whatever is needed to protect my child.
Is there a way of finding out if someone on my street is on the sex offenders register.
Thanks

How would you ever know "for sure"?

Ignore, and your husband should as well.

You could move next to a peadophile if you moved, you may not be living next one now.

He might be, he might not be. I presume you wouldn't leave your dc alone with a random neighbour anyway so I can't there's a particular danger. You say if you knew for sure you could protect your dc but what would you do differently? Surely your dc is always supervised by you anyway and not out of your sight when you're not at home?

It's likely nothing but malicious and idle gossip. If your son does nothing but shout his name and wave, what's the problem? Just protect your child in the same way you would around any strangers.

You, quite rightly, wont be able to access his criminal history, so wont know for sure is he has a criminal record.

If you move then theres every chance that you could move beside a paedophile anyway.

You should always be protecting your child around strangers, so I'm unsure what further measures you would take.

Statically we all know and talk to a nonce and there's is probably 1 in every street in the country. It won't make any difference to move. Personally I'd prefer to know.

Also don't listen to street gossip. We had a man tortured around here for years just becsuse he moved in with a collection of China dolls, so of course he was a sex offender

If you found out he wasn't on the sex offenders list would that make you feel better?
There are lots of peodos out there but many are not on a register because they haven't been caught so unless it is someone you're leaving your DCs with then I don't see the point in trying to find out.

Can't you ask your local station for a Sarah's law check?

There’s a peodophile in every street. At least you know who it is in yours! Unfortunately you’re not safe anywhere and you’re more likely to be abused by a family member or a close friend than you are a stranger (as a child).

Your husband is adamant this complete stranger was right with her passing comment about this man, and now wants to move house?!

Sorry, but that is bizarre!

Wow, I feel sorry for your neighbour

Seconding what @Letseatgrandma said.

Wow, I thought this was going to be about someone who hadn't seen their neighbour for as while.

Could you Google old newspaper reports? As others have said. though, anyone could be a one. Just ensure your children know how to stay safe.

How do the woman and 2 boys know anything about him. Who are these 3 who called him a paedophile? Poor man if he is.being bullied and targetted.

As your child has no actual contact alone with this man he is not at risk right? As such I doubt the police would reveal to you under Sarah’s law and you can’t lie about the risk.

As for the boys comments and the mums response, it could just be gossip, nasty gossip, it would not be the first time.

Your husbands response of wanting to sell up and move seems extreme. Even if this man was a paedo,he has no idea what age range and gender he was attracted to.

Just continue to make sure your son isn’t alone with him, and bear in mind that you also shouldn’t spread the gossip. You could Ask some questions about him to a neighbour though, just like you were curious.

Also if you know his name you can google him.

Sex offenders have got to live somewhere, moving seems a crazy overreaction.

Teach your son stranger danger etc and live your life.

Your husband's nuts.

Years ago a relative of mine had been rumoured to be a pedophile and it’s stuck with him. He isn’t one.. I’m not just saying this because I’m related to him, I would disown him if he was but he is not. He was interviewed once and no further contact from the police since. It was all lies. The label has still stuck though because of local gossip. Don’t panic! Just keep your child safe as you normally would. You could move and your new street could have a sex offender living on it. Sad but true. We have no idea who our neighbours are half the time.

There were similar rumours about the man I bought my current house from, but I have lived locally for years and to my knowledge there was no official investigation/action against him

Thank you all for your comments. My gut says it's gossip. He's a lovely man. I would never leave DS with him, even before I heard the comments.
I'll sort DH out, we've been on lockdown for a week and I think he is starting to go a bit stir crazy!!
Thanks again xx