Today, we can reveal how loyalists have doubled down on their efforts to force disgraced pervert Philip McLernon to go into hiding, with sinister graffiti being sprayed on walls and bridges warning he will be shot and calling him a “paedo”.

It was also sprayed on a sign at the entrance to Antrim GAA’s centre of excellence at Dunsilly, not far from McLernon’s home.

According to sources, McLernon has been abusive to members of the public who have challenged him following his convictions.

McLernon was handed a suspended prison sentence in March for downloading ‘Category A’ videos of kids being sexually abused.

Now loyalists have turned on their former friend and have been waging a campaign to get McLernon out of his hometown — but without any success.

McLernon stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Antrim loyalists during the 2013 Union flag protests.

Last November — before pervert McLernon had even confessed — he was targeted in what was described as “an elaborate hoax bomb” alert.

It was the second security alert in the area and we can reveal both were aimed at intimidating Philip McLernon out of Antrim.

But, so far, he has refused to leave and remained in his home

The 53-year-old had been at the forefront of an ex-veterans’ campaign aimed at the government for prosecuting soldiers for alleged crimes during the Troubles, including murder.

He took part in one event, highlighting how ex-soldiers were living in fear of getting a “knock-on-the-door” from the police and claimed he had been “involved in the intelligence follow-up after the Omagh bomb”.

But ironically it was McLernon who got a knock on the door from a journalist just hours after he had pleaded guilty to a string of child ‘porn’ charges six months ago.

A startled McLernon told theSunday World he had nothing to say about his shameful convictions.

“I’m not going to comment on that,” he said while poking his head out from his front door.

When asked about his work with a number of army veterans’ groups he confirmed he had previously been involved but added: “I’ve nothing to say about it.”

Since then McLernon narrowly escaped going to jail even though the Judge at Antrim Crown Court found his excuse for looking at the images to be implausible.

The judge told McLernon: “What you have done is heinous because these images were produced by someone in the course of abusing children and the reason those children are abused is so that people like you can look at them.”

However, he escaped going to prison and was handed a six-month jail sentence, suspended for four years.

The court was told in March how McLernon’s wife had left him after cops searched his home, seized a number of electronic devices and found images and videos, assessed as Category A, which are of a very explicit nature, and further images at level B.

We understand McLernon is looking to get out of the Meadow Lands area but had been looking at renting a property in the Greystone estate.

Sources say loyalists connected to the UDA have ramped up efforts to get the ex-soldier to sling his hook.

Police have visited the convicted sex offender to warn him of the threats and discuss his personal safety.

Last November there was significant disruption caused to residents in the town after a hoax bomb was left near McLernon’s home.

Dozens of residents were forced from their homes for several hours after the second security alert in the area within a couple of weeks.