War is just
VIDEO CALL THUG CAGED FOR A YEAR
BY MIKE McQUAID reporters@dailyrecord.co.uk
A PAEDOPHILE hunter threatened to shoot vigilantes after he was accused of being involved in child abuse.
An angry crowd gathered outside Craig Fitzpatrick’s home when allegations against him were made on Facebook.
He was later seen on a video call brandishing a gun and warning: “The war is just beginning.”
Fitzpatrick, 26, was jailed for a year at Hamilton Sheriff Court.
He admitted having an imitation firearm with intent to cause Jodie McCrae to believe that violence would be used against others.
Fitzpatrick also admitted threatening or abusive behaviour at home in Hamilton.
Louise Beattie, prosecuting, said he had been a member of the vigilante group Maximum Exposure UK for several years.
She told the court: “He was removed from the group in December after it was alleged he had been threatening people targeted by them.
“In January, a photo of the accused was posted on a Facebook page. It stated he was a paedophile and gave his address. A few nights later, a crowd gathered outside his house, shouting at him and the police had to attend.”
Beattie said Jodie, a member of Maximum Exposure, was at home on February 24 when she was invited to join a Facebook video call.
The fiscal added: “She saw the accused on the call.
“He was talking about Maximum Exposure and how ‘the war is just beginning’.
“He said he was going to take Maximum Exposure down.
“The accused then picked up what appeared to be a black gun. Ms McCrae asked if it was a BB gun. Fitzpatrick said it wasn’t and showed her what she thought looked like gold bullets with pointed ends.
“He put the bullets in the gun and said, ‘Bang, bang’. Ms