Paedophile (glory) hunters FB group/sting

[MyNewtMyFrogMyLittleRedDog]

I am likely outing myself here to anybody that knows me but will try to be as clear as I can while being vague enough to protect my identity.

I had heard of the paedo hunters that pose as children, trap and ID the person that behaves inappropriately and then shares it on social media but thankfully never had anything to do with them. Then a few days ago I walked out of my house to get into the car with my kids and a group of people were circled around my next door neighbour n the front. I was not concerned, until I saw (my other side) the neighbours waving frantically at me. A woman then breaks away from the circle around my neighbour, approaches me and insists very loudly that I had to move the children as a paedophile was being confronted and they did not want them to hear. Needless to say I bundled the kids in the car and called my sister in a panic. She replied " Oh shit, I was watching that live on FB and knew I recognised him".

Now this is massively worrying me. It is bad enough that my neighbour has been arrested for this but these "hunters" have been live screening footage of my house and the next door neighbours, insulting the local police and stirring up shit. The police have been all over the estate due to local vigilantes marching around. The houses are not clearly numbered, the estates overlap so the address they gave out could actually be confused for a whole other road, and I am petrified that somebody is going to try and get into my house or accost my children , my adult sons or my husband. Every time somebody walks past my heart is racing and I could honestly throttle the fucking group that think its ok to do this.

If they were responsible and wanted justice they would have just handed the information to the police and not live streamed THREE videos showing two houses (one is mine, along with both our cars parked outside) . They even had the audacity to complain that the police had told them to stop live streaming as they could compromise any further investigations. Surely this is almost as bad as the shit head vigilantes that are patrolling the streets looking for somebody to beat up?

[Tinkerbell456]

I applaud these people’s motives, but they’re going about in a very dodgy way that is putting others at risk. If they have information about paedophiles they should give it to the police to be dealt with by the law. Vigilante justice never works out well.

[AlmostAJillSandwich]

Someone i know was wrongly accused and had videos of them live streamed all over facebook, they nearly attempted suicide over it because of all the threats being made, and he was terrified for his disabled daughter who lived with him incase someone tried arson etc.
Vigilantes can and sometimes are wrong, it should be left for the police to deal with not mobs and people who want to be a have-a-go hero.

[SocksInPeril]

There is a vigilante group doing the same thing near me and it makes me feel a bit off. I think there’s something very grim about posting it all on social media instead of handing it over to the authorities to deal with - kind of like playing the hero is actually more important than catching criminals.

I’ve also seen the way their actions stir up the masses and I can’t help but wonder what would happen if they were actually wrong about someone. I’ve noted the way that other posters end up calling out other family and friends and it’s really disturbing.

[ColeHawlins]

The CPS need to stop progressing criminal cases that originate in vigilante action. It's encouraged this madness.

[BumbleBee27]

I can't stand it. They are all about the likes and the adoration of the public who think they're doing a great job when in reality they could be jeopardising genuine police cases. Not to mention the cases of mistaken identify and the families of these people who have been 'stung' having to find out in such an awful way.

It's a very dangerous way to operate but because it's such a sensitive subject people think they are god like figures.

[BoneyBackJefferson]

Tinkerbell456
I applaud these people’s motives

I doubt there motives completely, they strike me as the groups of bullies that never got taken down at school.

[chocolatebuttonsandcheese]

It's awful and I hate it. I've read about cases where they've actively encouraged vulnerable men to engage in conversation with supposed 'teenage girls' to then 'sting' them.

The police need to end these hunters. Surely the evidence couldn't stand up in court

[MissClareRemembers]

Wasn’t there a case some time ago where a paediatrician was attacked by vigilantes??

I agree with the PP that the ‘glory’ seems to matter more to them.

[Figgygal]

Do you live in the Bristol area? Someone got nabbed close to me last week and it was all over Facebook. I don't object to their principles but their methodology is sensationalist.
This particular guy has a partner and a child in school how is that fair On them to plaster it all over the Internet - the police should be the first port of call not Facebook

[NoooorthonerMum]

I applaud these people’s motives, but they’re going about in a very dodgy way that is putting others at risk.

I don't actually think their motives are good. there is no benefit to live streaming it or posting it on Facebook which might compromise the police investigation or conviction. If they genuinely wanted to protect kids they'd hand the info. to police without creating a spectacle.

[Katinkka]

I watched a documentary on iPlayer about them not long since. They all came across as a bit thick. They should be prosecuted imo. It’s not for them to do police work.

[ThePlaceToVent]

I always think these things are best left to the trained professionals, the Police.

[YogaWannabe]

I, very naively, used to really respect the people who did this!
Until it came out that while “under cover” one of the mob had struck up an online relationship with a 13 year old.

At best they’re dim people with little else to do and at worst they’re people who get kicks out of stalking chat rooms, talking to pedos etc.

[Passmethecrisps]

It sounds absolutely awful OP. I suggest you contact the police and ask for some advice on the matter.

We had a situation near us where someone was arrested for offences - so he wasn’t there. It didn’t stop a crowd of glory hunters circling the house and throwing bricks in the window. He had two children and a wife who were all innocent. As were the downstairs neighbours who had to be emergency accommodated while it all calmed down.

These people are less concerned about the victims of the actual crime and more concerned about their own apparent heroism

[FunkyKingston]

I doubt there motives completely, they strike me as the groups of bullies that never got taken down at school.

No they're more like the snakey little fucks who'd wind someone, fan the flames of an existing falling out and up or and sit back and watch the drama unfold. Then shrug their shoulders and weasel their way out of any responsibilities.

They've not even got the nerve to be proper vigilantes, they act as judge and jury, plaster it all over the internet and hope some meatheat pours petrol through their letterbox or whatever. All for a vicarious thrill.

[Oysterbabe]

These groups are generally knuckle dragging thugs who get off on the drama.
The police should definitely not prosecute when it's been plastered all over social media, it just encourages them.

[Mammiemaw]

I hate these self-proclaimed "hunters" facebook pages/live streams. I saw one and they read out the transcript of the online chats between the accused and the decoy. It was obscene vile overly sleazy sexual language that I would hate to be directed at me, never mind a child. The hunter really seemed to be enjoying it and getting off on it. His voice was so animated. I have to say I had NO sympathy for the man they accused, but local favebook pages were plastered with links to his wife and daughters and brother pages and their pictures within minutes of the stream! I think at best these people are bullies with a desperate need for attention and adulation at worse predators themselves who do this to put off the scent so to speak.

[SouthWestmom]

I suspect they have dodgy motives. Like maybe they get off on pretending to be kids on the internet. Bit 'protesting too much'.

[StarbucksSmarterSister]

I applaud these people’s motives

I don't and I speak not only as someone who was sexually abused as a child but who has other relatives who were too.

These people are vigilantes. I suspect some of them gey off on what they do and it is certain that they don't always get the right people anyway.

[StarbucksSmarterSister]

"Get off"

[x2boys]

I don't think.any of them really give a shit about the kids they are supposed time protecting its all about them and how "good" they look.

[MyNewtMyFrogMyLittleRedDog]

I am not in Bristol, no.

So things have calmed down, but this morning I waved my youngest off to school while I was on the driveway checking my slow puncture - and a woman with a little kid shouted "Nonce" at me. I am hoping that now it's back to the weekly routine it will all be forgotten about. I am going to buy house numbers today so nobody makes the mistake of getting my house confused with the neighbours.

[sparkli]

Op it happened to one of my neighbours recently. He's an unpleasant man, but his family didn't deserve to go through all that. The police released him without charge and, as far as I can tell, he was actually set up.

These vigilantes were whooping and crying in our street. I was also concerned about the possibilities of arson attacks, etc, as were the police. They actually stationed a police officer outside the house for several days afterwards. The whole thing has left a very bad taste in my mouth.

[Jamiefraserskilt]

When they make the decision to out someone, they are not thinking of anyone else who may get caught up in their game. Not neighbours, not partners, no one. The pitchfork mentality overrides the possibility they may walk free as a direct result of their actions.
Get those numbers displayed and contact facebook as your privacy has been invaded and in addition, your safety and wellbeing. If anyone name calls again, do call them on it. Even if it is just "wrong house, lady".

[x2boys]

Tis is the problem with social media, the nephew of my d h,work colleague was charged with grooming his step daughter ,apparently it was all malicious, now I don't know the man and have no ideaif there was any truth in it ,but his picture was shared all over facebook,and his work van was burnt out and his home was vandalised because some idiots decided to take matters into their own hands .