Supreme Court backs use of vigilante paedophile hunter evidence

EVIDENCE from paedophile hunters can be used in prosecutions the Supreme Court has ruled but police chiefs have vowed not to work with the vigilante groups.

A convicted paedophile has lost a Supreme Court challenge over the use in criminal prosecutions of evidence gathered by paedophile hunter groups in covert sting operations.

The UK’S highest court ruled yesterday that the interests of children have priority over any interest a paedophile could have in how criminal evidence is gathered.

Thomas Ross QC, of Benchmark Advocates, said: “Although this decision doesn’t deal with it, these private groups still have to operate within the law, so they could be charged with assault if they’re wrestling people to the ground and holding them till the police come – they’re still regulated by the law but the Supreme Court doesn’t have any concern about them posing as 13-year-olds.”

Assistant Chief Constable Dan Vajzovic, of the National Police Chiefs’ Council, said: “We do not endorse these groups and will not work with them.

“Unlike our officers these groups don’t offer any protection to victims, their evidence is often poor and some do it as cover for extortion and blackmail,” he added.

Mark Sutherland was convicted in August 2018 of attempting to communicate indecently with a child, and related offences, after evidence was collected by Groom Resistance Scotland, a paedophile hunter group, and handed to police.

Sutherland brought a Supreme Court challenge arguing that his right to a private life, enshrined in Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights, had been breached. A panel of five justices dismissed his appeal and said the public prosecutor was entitled to introduce evidence obtained by a “decoy” at Sutherland’s trial.

Lord Sales said there was “no interference with the accused’s rights” under Article 8. He said: “Children have rights under Article 8 as well. Under that provision, the state has a special responsibility to protect children against sexual exploitation by adults.”