[user104658]

As I said on the other thread about this recently; it can go horribly wrong. Obviously. Because the people doing it are amateurs, and also usually pig thick amateurs. I personally know of a case where a group of facebook live "paedobusters", who looked like they'd come straight off of the set of "This Is England", posed as a 15 year old girl and busted a "paedo" who turned out to be a 16 year old boy. He also happened to be a 16 year old boy from another pretty rough family, who tracked down the "paedobusters" group, and let's just say it... ended with their facebook page going offline permanently. Amongst other things.

IF it was being done in an organised and professional way, and with care, then sure why not. As it is, it's being done by idiots who are really only looking for a "legitimate" way to throw their weight around and threaten people because that gives THEM a thrill, and they like the positive attention and praise they get on Facebook from other like-minded idiots. They make mistakes, hurt the wrong people, and ultimately end up getting themselves hurt too.

So no I don't agree with it.

[Maru]

If they're not law enforcement acting on part of an investigation, then all it does is make them smarter about how they go about it. A little YT video isn't going to stop any pervert with a tendency to sexualize children. Sadly...

[user104658]

Originally Posted by Maru

If they're not law enforcement acting on part of an investigation, then all it does is make them smarter about how they go about it. A little YT video isn't going to stop any pervert with a tendency to sexualize children. Sadly...

That's another thing I hadn't actually considered. There are people whose actual jobs are tracking and catching sexual predators... and having Bob-and-his-mates doing their own unofficial version will only make the really dangerous ones be more careful and hide their tracks better, so in the end they're less likely to be caught.

[Maru]

Originally Posted by Toy Soldier

That's another thing I hadn't actually considered. There are people whose actual jobs are tracking and catching sexual predators... and having Bob-and-his-mates doing their own unofficial version will only make the really dangerous ones be more careful and hide their tracks better, so in the end they're less likely to be caught.

Yeah I think it just makes them go for easier targets.. maybe children of people they know. Actually, if that person didn't have inclination either before... perhaps they won't forget the thoughts after being "prodded" that direction more or less... may actually go exploit a child to satisfy that urge. Sort of like a trigger that can open pandora's box so to speak...

[Livia]

Those who work within the law I think are a tremendous asset. There aren't enough police officers to cope with the time consuming act of trapping a paedophile. There are groups who catch them and hand them straight over to the police with all evidence. I think that is a public service.

[Beso]

Yes, i just wish they would give the scum a good beating with bats b4 calling the police.

[Maru]

I guess nobody here has heard of Chris Hansen?

Youtube video

[Withano]

Originally Posted by Maru

I guess nobody here has heard of Chris Hansen?

Youtube video

Its fine when they work closely with the police. The UK doesn’t have an at all similar thing. We just have chavs starting and leading aggressive witch hunts

[Nicky91]

i've heard of Chris Hansen yes, i've seen his show on ID (Investigation Discovery)


i also like shows like web of lies, dr g medical examiner, paula zahn, Aphrodite jones


even that show from Roseanne, Momsters when moms go bad

[Oliver_W]

I saw this (well, the stream itself) shared quite a bit on facebook, as he's from Rushden which is just up the road from K-town:

EXCLUSIVE: Home Office consultant 'trying to meet 12-year-old girl for sex' is SACKED after being snared by paedophile hunters

A Home Office worker snared by paedophile hunters allegedly trying to meet a 12-year-old girl for sex has been sacked.

Gary Hodgkiss, 48, who was an IT consultant for the Border Force, was filmed by vigilantes as he arrived to meet a young girl in Manchester last night.

The 6ft 7in consultant, from Northampton, was said by the vigilantes to have travelled 150 miles from government offices in London and alleged he was unaware that the person he had been grooming online was an adult.

But the government today announced that his employment had been terminated.

A spokesman said: 'The Home Office expects the highest standards of personal integrity from external contractors.

'We are in the process of terminating this individual's contract with immediate effect. It would be inappropriate to comment further on an ongoing police investigation.'

Hodgkiss was filmed by the gang pulling up in a sports car at an undisclosed location in Manchester.

Members of the paedophile hunter group Dark Light then surrounded his vehicle and spoke to him on camera.
Hodgkiss, pictured, is a director of GRC Services, a government contractor
+6

Hodgkiss, pictured, is a director of GRC Services, a government contractor

The confrontation was streamed on Facebook Live attracting 42,000 viewers in 30 minutes.

The 16-minute clip ends with Hodgkiss being arrested and taken away by police in a marked van.

In the video, one of the vigilantes said: 'You work for the Home Office. You have ********* your life. You have instructed what you believe to be a 12-year-old girl to masturbate.'

As he was told this, Mr Hodgkiss took off his glasses and put his head in his hands.

Later in the video a paedophile hunter said, 'I've seen the messages you sent while on the way up here about getting a hotel room and spending a night in a hotel room with her.'

The paedophile hunters claimed to have evidence that Mr Hodgkiss was grooming three decoys online posing as underage children.

The confrontation with Mr Hodgkiss was livestreamed and ached by more than 40,000 people.

Even if he doesn't face a custodial sentence, his career, google search, and probably marriage is ****ed.

[Glenn.]

I’m kinda in two minds about it. Yes ok technically when the hunters lay the bait the recipient isn’t breaking the law because they are not minors etc. But the intent is there. They want to groom these kiddies and that’s just as bad. Also if the attention is on the fake kid and not a real one then good.

Plus even if no conviction does happen after they’ve been live-streamed/caught, as someone has said, they’re reputation is gone anyway so win win

[Beso]

Who ****ing cares, plaster these vile scumbags faces all over the net, let everyone know who they are...then hopefully some right minded individuals can sort them out proper.

[Beso]

Who ****ing cares, plaster these vile scumbags faces all over the net, let everyone know who they are...then hopefully some right minded individuals can sort them out proper.

[GoldHeart]

Originally Posted by parmnion

Who ****ing cares, plaster these vile scumbags faces all over the net, let everyone know who they are...then hopefully some right minded individuals can sort them out proper.

I agree with catching these sicko's and getting them locked up and getting justice . What I don't agree with is the whole citizen arrest / vigilante theme .

Leave it to the police,give them the information they need and help them. But don't start trying to take the law into your own hands as it can escalate and you can't catch these predators on your own .

I don't like this name & shame shtick with their faces over the net ,what if someone gets WRONGLY accused and witch hunted online .

[user104658]

As usual the issue here is that people who think that anyone who has any reservations about vigilante paedophile hunters "must luv paedos and not want them to get caught!!! Care more about teh rights of teh paedos than they do about little children wtf!!1!1"

It's such basic, kneejerk logic that it really irks me. "Paedophiles bad, therefore paedophile hunters good, wot else u need to know". Well... here's what I need to know;

Some sort, ANY sort, of substantive evidence that having chav vigilante social media paedophile hunters blundering around in what are potentially very sensitive legal cases does more good than harm. I don't even need to be convinced that it does "only good, no harm"... just MORE good than harm. There is no such evidence because no one - let alone these skinhead anti-paedo "toughguys" - have actually bothered to look into it.

It also bugs me that they quite blatantly care more about A) The thrill of the chase and B) having orange-faced single mums gush over them on facebook, than they do about actually protecting anyone.

[Redway]

Originally Posted by Toy Soldier

As usual the issue here is that people who think that anyone who has any reservations about vigilante paedophile hunters "must luv paedos and not want them to get caught!!! Care more about teh rights of teh paedos than they do about little children wtf!!1!1"

It's such basic, kneejerk logic that it really irks me. "Paedophiles bad, therefore paedophile hunters good, wot else u need to know". Well... here's what I need to know;

Some sort, ANY sort, of substantive evidence that having chav vigilante social media paedophile hunters blundering around in what are potentially very sensitive legal cases does more good than harm. I don't even need to be convinced that it does "only good, no harm"... just MORE good than harm. There is no such evidence because no one - let alone these skinhead anti-paedo "toughguys" - have actually bothered to look into it.

It also bugs me that they quite blatantly care more about A) The thrill of the chase and B) having orange-faced single mums gush over them on facebook, than they do about actually protecting anyone.

I’ve been pretty calm on this thread so your post better not be directed at me.

[user104658]

Originally Posted by Redway

I’ve been pretty calm on this thread so your post better not be directed at me.

Do you think it applies to you?

[Beso]

I thought the hunters gather all the evidence, then pass it to the police....the police or prosecuter then decides if there is enough evidence....
**** knows how caring and disgusted parents who are willing to give up the vast majority of thier time to gather such evidence are suddenly labelled as chavs is beyond me....maybe thats just down to the snobbery if TIBB.....or maybe cause some men shave a balding head to hide the balding is now classed as chavvy...who knows
..

[user104658]

Originally Posted by parmnion

I thought the hunters gather all the evidence, then pass it to the police....the police or prosecuter then decides if there is enough evidence....
**** knows how caring and disgusted parents who are willing to give up the vast majority of thier time to gather such evidence are suddenly labelled as chavs is beyond me....maybe thats just down to the snobbery if TIBB.....or maybe cause some men shave a balding head to hide the balding is now classed as chavvy...who knows
..

Because I have seen the videos? Aggressive, unintelligent thugs.

[Beso]

Originally Posted by Toy Soldier

Because I have seen the videos? Aggressive, unintelligent thugs.

Congrats.

All l i see is dirty old men, scummy perverted ****s who are only there for sex with minors...

[user104658]

Originally Posted by parmnion

Congrats.

All l i see is dirty old men, scummy perverted ****s who are only there for sex with minors...

Exactly. You're so laser-focused on the "baddies" that you don't care about the methods or motivations of the people "catching" them. I doubt you've even given it five minutes consideration, frankly.

[The Slim Reaper]

Originally Posted by Toy Soldier

Exactly. You're so laser-focused on the "baddies" that you don't care about the methods or motivations of the people "catching" them. I doubt you've even given it five minutes consideration, frankly.

Agreed. If it was just about justice then why round up a big intimidating group to all shout at the bloke that he's a nonce etc. Just round him up and hand over your evidence, but they like the fame that goes along with it.

[Beso]

Originally Posted by Toy Soldier

Exactly. You're so laser-focused on the "baddies" that you don't care about the methods or motivations of the people "catching" them. I doubt you've even given it five minutes consideration, frankly.

Thats a load of bollocks ts, sorry to burst your opinion of me....infact i have looked into this a lot.


I was dubious at first i must admit, but like the police, i have come round to believing that they are doing a neccessary job that the police themselves admit that they find hard to police..
.and lets face it...me and you together..
.
..the only evidence these hunters can and do use is there for all to see in black and white...or via a series of pixels to be precise.

[Oliver_W]

This might be a stupid question, but how does bringing attention to the fact that someone arranged to meet what they thought was a child endanger a potential case?

[user104658]

Originally Posted by Oliver_W

This might be a stupid question, but how does bringing attention to the fact that someone arranged to meet what they thought was a child endanger a potential case?

For a start, it makes the worst offenders be far more careful and therefore less likely to get caught by official means. Secondly, the actual conviction rate from these "stings" is abysmal. And when there is a conviction its rarely a meaningful one. Thirdly, anything they **** up - any hint that it was them that suggested a meeting / they pushed the conversation forwards themselves and the whole thing collapses and are now more careful and potentially more dangerous.

There's a reason that every "civilised" society throughout history has had laws against vigilantism. But hey... I guess these FB groups know better. .