Paedophile loses appeal over ‘sting operation’

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.

Yesterday, the UK’s highest court unanimously dismissed an appeal which argued using such evidence was a breach of an individual’s human rights.

It said the interests of children have priority over any interest a paedophile could have in being allowed to engage in criminal conduct.

Mark Sutherland was convicted in August 2018 of attempting to communicate indecently with an older child, and related offences, after evidence collected by a paedophilehunter group was handed to police.

He 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.

The panel of five justices unanimously dismissed Sutherland’s appeal and said the public prosecutor was entitled to introduce evidence obtained by a “decoy” at Sutherland’s trial to try to secure a conviction.