GARDAI CALLED TO ‘PAEDO HUNTERS STING’
Man accused of sending pics to girl, 13, confronted
A MAN was taken in by gardai after paedophile hunters accused him of sending illicit pictures to a girl he believed to be 13.
The group videoed the run-in with the Co Louth man, in his 40s, and posted it on Facebook.
The target, who denied claims he was attracted to children, was led away by cops but later released.
The Department of Justice said: “Investigations of these issues are a matter for An Garda Siochana.”
PAEDOPHILE hunters have posted a live video on Facebook of a man being confronted and accused of sending illicit pictures to a girl he thought was 13.
The target, from Drogheda, Co Louth, was taken in by gardai on Friday after he was met by the vigilantes.
The group also accused him asking the girl to have sex with him and of making “insinuations” about his four-year-old niece.
The man, in his 40s, denied sending pictures to the fake profile but appeared to change his tone after the hunters showed him logs of the conversation.
In the messages, he allegedly asked the girl to send pictures of herself topless and also asked her if she would have sex with him when they met.
The hunter group also said the man sent a picture of his penis to the decoy and asked her what she thought of it.
The group had arranged to conduct the sting in Newry, Co Down, on Saturday but then decided to do it earlier as they were concerned about him “making insinuations” about his four-year-old niece.
JEALOUS
They also said the man had sent pictures of the niece to the decoy and asked her if she was jealous of him being in bed with her.
When asked about meeting the girl in Newry, the man said he “wasn’t going to go” before saying, “I’m sorry”.
He went on to deny that he is attracted to children.
The confrontation went on for about 10 minutes before the man’s family came outside and brought him in.
After the family intervened, the hunter group continued to wait until gardai arrived.
The man was then taken in by an unmarked car before being released later that night.
It is unclear whether he was taken in for questioning over the alleged incidents or whether gardai were concerned for his safety.
Footage collected by the groups may “not reach the evidential standard in a court of law” according to the Department of Justice who also say it is worried about such confrontations turning violent.
A statement released to the Irish Mirror said: “Tainted evidence, or material without a clear evidential chain, may be excluded in subsequent court cases.
“Criminal investigations of these issues are solely a matter for the Garda Commissioner and An Garda Siochana.”
Criminal matters of these issues are solely a matter for An Garda Siochana
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE YESTERDAY