THE LEADER of a campaign to evict Da Vinci rapist Robert Greens has quit after ludicrous claims she is friends with him emerged.
Sharon O’Donnell, from Newtongrange in Midlothian, has quit her role heading up the protest after receiving a barrage of personal attacks on the group’s Facebook page.
She has also removed her bright green caravan, which was parked outside the rapist’s house to allow protesters to monitor him.
The facebook page, “Get Robert Greens Out Midlothian,” was set up when Robert Greens was rehoused near Bonnyrigg following his release from prison.
Greens brutally raped a 19-year-old Dutch student in 2005 near Rosslyn Chapel, less than six miles from his new home.
He was sentenced to 10 years in prison but was released after six years and given his new home in Midlothian.
Sharon O’Donnell decided to set up a support page which organised protests and attempted to get Greens evicted from the community.
The 42-year-old also parked a brightly-painted caravan which said “Toot Toot Rapist Out” along the side, outside the rapist’s house.
However, the page which had more than 14,500 supporters is being closed down because of the abuse Ms O’Donnell has been receiving and the caravan is going to be scrapped.
The mum-of-two said: “I don’t want to walk away but enough is enough.
The abuse I’ve been getting is sickening, it was beginning to affect my family.
“I had been prepared to leave the caravan but then I heard that people were talking about burning it down. I couldn’t have that so it’s been taken away and scrapped.
“The abuse I was receiving was getting out of hand. People were claiming that I was mates with Robert Greens and that I was trying to help him in some way.
“I can’t believe that people would think something as sick as that.”
Ms O’Donnell explained that she will now concentrate on setting up Footprints Scotland, a community support group for victims of physical and mental abuse, after receiving calls herself from people during the campaign.
She said: “People have been claiming that I only got involved with the protest to help get the support group off the ground, which is ridiculous really.
“I wish the protest well but I’m not having anything to do with it anymore.”
Protesters have kept a constant presence outside Green’s cottage since May this year.
One protester, who did not wish to be named, welcomed the news of Sharon O’Donnell stepping down.
She said: “No-one asked her to become the campaign leader, she has only ever been interested in getting her name in the papers and plugging her café and support group. We are the ones who are here every night in all weather.
“I think her leaving will make us stronger as we’ll be left with the true protesters.
“None of us want our names in the paper we just want him out for the good of the community.”
At the height of campaign, two occasions saw hundreds of protesters descend on Greens’ cottage, a traffic go slow campaign which brought the town to a standstill and marches at the Midlothian Council headquarters.
