Vigilante group slammed over live web ‘sting’
POLICE and community leaders have criticised a group of self-styled ‘paedophile hunters’ at a council meeting after they broadcast a ‘sting’ operation live over social media.
Vigilantes arranged to meet a man in Accrington to make accusations against him and filmed him until the police arrived.
The video was broadcast live on social media and was watched more than 100,000 times.
After it was broadcast, Coun Gareth Molineux slammed the actions of vigilante groups for potentially ‘ jeopardising future court cases’ or potentially ‘victimising genuinely innocent people’.
Speaking at a recent full meeting of Hyndburn council on January 11, he said: “An event took place in Accrington town centre.
“It was an alleged sting from a group of ‘paedophile hunters’ on a resident of the borough.
“It was streamed basically it was like a public court. What kind of laws can be brought in or are in place to stop this kind of activity?
“My fear is that it could be jeopardising future court cases or, on the other side of the spectrum, could actually be victimising genuinely innocent people.
“I’m worried that this person was a Hyndburn resident – most of [the comments] were quite derogatory, quite offensive and there were threats to life on some of those comments.
“I think that part of social media is damaging and something needs to be done.”
Hyndburn police inspector Steve Rides said it is an ‘ up and coming trend’ and he had ‘no idea’ how to stop it.
He told the meeting: “It’s tricky. We can’t stop people taking pictures or recording in public. We are very much open to that.
“What we do do though is anything that is recorded forms part of the evidence and we do seize phones etc.
“There are a lot of these organised hunters, as they are classed as, doing this type of work. The solution to that I have no idea. We just have to work with it at the moment.”
Speaking after the council meeting, a spokesperson for the vigilante group told the Observer: “All our stings going forward will be recorded privately, and later released for aware- ness once a conviction is obtained.”
Lancashire Police said they received a report of a sexual offence made to them from Peel Street in Accrington town centre on January 10. A 31-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of sexual activity with a child and bailed to February 1.