To think that this is not ok?

[angularmerkel]

I have just seen a live stream on my fb feed of a man being 'stung' by a 'paedophile hunting' team. It was not far from me (next town along) and people were all commenting along the lines of 'bang to rights', 'hang him', 'paedo' and similar and much worse.

The thing is this was a live stream - this guy's wife was apparently away on a hen weekend, so it's not out of the realms of probability that she could have been viewing this incident live. Not to mention other friends, family members and people who may have children who know this guy and who would, understandably, be upset and horrified to be seeing this unfold.

AIBU to think that it's not ok for 'paedophile stings' like this to be shown on social media? However horrible the alleged crime might be they should have the normal rights anybody has in law (remain silent, innocent until proven guilty etc) but moreover their friends and family shouldn't find out what has happened via a fb feed?

I assume people do know that police forces have departments that do exactly this type of work although it is strictly monitored and regulated?

The current generation would only believe it if they saw it on Facebook. Sad but true.

Anyone remember the paediatrician who was hunted down by a vigilante mob? Idiots thought he had advertised his profession as paedophile!

Think it was Portsmouth.

This is just one of the reasons why vigilantism is a phenomenally bad idea. Oh, and the small matter, as PPs have mentioned, of jeopardising court proceedings.

Lastly, where vigilantes are active any paedophiles whose behaviour is being monitored and managed by professionals working in that field, , are likely to "disappear" meaning the caseworker cannot monitor them and they are a greater danger.

In this scenario, statistically, they are also more likely to increase their behaviours and take such behaviour to more extreme lengths.

So, basically, vigilantes put children in danger.

He's sick in the head. I'd want to be aware of this person if they lived in my area

Why?

I honestly don't understand the reasoning behind this unless you are planning on forming some sort of mob.

There was some debate about this when my kids were young and I was genuinely baffled.

Let's say Johnny Paedo is living in my area and I am told about this and given a photo.

Next time I take my kids swimming he (or somebody who looks a lot like him) is also swimming at the baths.

Then what? Do I take my kids home? Confront him? What? I don't get what the next action is and how it is supposed to make things better or safer.

@Tessliketrees Exactly. I also think that if people are busy watching out for known sex offenders they might miss warning signs about those who have never been caught.

@Forevertired19

My dp? I'd join the targeting to bring him down

And when people started whispering about you, saying you must have known. You'd be fine with that?

Still fine when your kids were bullied at school?

And then it turns out the vigilantes made a mistake and your DP was innocent all along? But no smoke without a fire so the whispering and bullying doesn't stop.

Is that the sort of country you want to live in?

What choice would I have? I'm going on my own experience. I live in an area where people know me well anyway especially the village next to us as I work there.
If I sat back and didn't try and bring him down, how much worse would that look on me and my children? What example would it set to my children if I let their dad carry on and not want rid of him and put in prison because of it?

But you would do all that if it were the police that caught him, not vigilante groups who don't have a clue what they are doing.

One of the videos I watched, they introduced themselves as Child Protection Officers to a male who has learning difficulties. That's not right in anyone's book.

The point is, Forevertired19, that regardless of whether you knew or not, tried to bring him down or not, you and your children would suffer and be made to suffer exactly the same. The village gossip will be exactly the same. If you were a teacher in Scotland, you would have questions asked about your suitability to continue in your work, and maybe even be dismissed.

The point is that we might all say that we'd hand him over if he was our dp but that's reliant on the fact that we knew he was doing it. The chances are we wouldn't have any idea and it would come as a huge shock.
Bad enough to find that info out from a knock on the door by the police. I can't begin to imagine how you'd feel seeing it on your fb feed while you're away on a hen weekend as this bloke's wife was.

Eliza would you be happy to be the collateral damage then if someone in your household got stung

If it was all based on evidence I'd string the cunt up and hang them out to dry myself.

Wouldn't you?

But that isn’t what happens. Windows get smashed, graffiti gets painted and that’s the minor things that occur. Cars getting set on fire and assault is the next step and for the innocent neighbours and family that’s not fair.

At least if it’s not published on bloody Facebook it limits the chances of things like that happening.

I'm not in favour of vigilantism (problematic in many ways) but I have no sympathy whatsoever for anyone caught in this way, trying to abuse children. If my husband was a paedophile there would be no 'nice' way to find that out, so I'm not overly concerned about that either.

There was a case some years ago where a man had his home vandalised, his family abused and he was attacked for being a paedophile.

Except that he was a paediatrician, which pretty much sums up for me the mentality of the sort of people who think that this kind of thing is a good idea.

I know the police do not like this ! Defendants get time off their sentence becuase of this sort of thing or even a non custodial where it might have been custodial otherwise.

Often the police are planning to arrest when they have x y or z evidence and then these numpties get in the way.

The police don't need amateurs doing their job. These vigilantes aren't trained and are frankly, a pain in the arse.
If you have info you should take it to the police.

Bertrand Russel

Taken from a DM article:
"A paedophile has had his sentencing postponed so he can enjoy a holiday in the Lake District.

Kristopher Cook was due to find out if he would be put behind bars for attempting 'penetrative sexual activity' with a child, a crime which carries a maximum sentence of 14 years.

But Cook, 24, has been told by Judge Amanda Rippon that he is free to first enjoy a pre-booked mini-break with his family despite facing a potential jail sentence."

Once again, potential Jail sentence.

There's another case in the Courts this week. A 14 year old girl's letter to her SW outlining sexual abuse was dismissed by the SW and Police. It took another allegation before the Police even considered making an arrest. Whilst I know troubled Girls can make false claims, the Man should still have been arrested. It's well known that abusers pick their Victims well.

When you do your placement as a trainee SW, the thing that shocks you is how many Men go unprosecuted for Child Sexual Abuse (as well as how unsupported the Victims are).

Dh used to be a court reporter and one of the criminals set up a vigilante website "naming" paedophiles. Dh was just doing his job in court and the guy yelled that he knew his name and had taken a photo from dh's company website and would name him on the site as a paedo!

The vigilantes seem to have an agenda and dh ended up terrified as although he'd not done anything wrong he was fully aware mud would stick.

Police are the only ones who should be going after criminals!

I don’t care, id rather a peadophe get caught under false pretences then a child be raped...

But how are they preventing that? They aren’t. Give the evidence to the police then you have the same outcome, probably even a better one.

Whilst it is vigilantism which is wrong and not to be encouraged.

I think the LACK of justice for victims, very poor arrest rates and even worse conviction rates mean people are fed up of these people getting away with it!

The loopholes exploited by defence lawyers, the blaming of victims, perpetuation of rape culture, excusing of perpetrators...

Means that many of us are really frustrated.

The level and quality of evidence needed to convict these life destroying bastards is way beyond what a normal reasonable person would need to KNOW they're a dangerous pervert!

The police don't have anywhere near the resources to investigate many reports. Even when they can/do the amount of evidence needed before cps will even prosecute is ludicrous.

On the VERY RARE occasions they are convicted the sentences are insultingly pathetic!

Nicknacky my brothers a police officer, though doesn't work directly in this area. He considers that police hands are tied by too high demands from cps and when the police DO put the work in when they have the resources, even IF it gets to court AND a conviction they often get a suspended or minimal sentence - it makes a mockery of the police's work too.

He worked on one case where the paedo took the child hostage, guy still got a ridiculously pathetic sentence!

"letting the system do its job." Do you have any idea how CRAP the system is at dealing with this stuff? Look at Rotherham! Latest count is over 1500 victims - many of whom who TRIED to directly report their abuse and were actively dismissed - THAT is your precious "system"

"Saying that, I do think that communities should be made aware once a prosecution has been made, for the future when and if offenders return to the area." This (wrongly in my opinion) isn't allowed. There are 2 particularly violent nasty offenders in my area. When they are released the families of the victims post on FB that they've been released with a photo, every time someone reports and their posts are deleted. Personally I think families in the area have a right to know - actually I think these bastards shouldn't be released - they always re-offend.

Venables should also NEVER be released. Proven re-offender.

Why is this appearing in Trending? Nobody's posted on it since March.

There's a "vigilante" group in our nearest city. The leader had been in court a number of times to assault type charges and Dh was a court reporter at the time. The guy threatened to set up a fake sting and film Dh telling the world he was showing up to meet a dc when it was no such thing. This was his threat to stop Dh printing an article about him. The police were involved but ever since I have a real issue with these vigilante groups and truth behind the films.

from what I have heard the videos actually make it harder for the police to prosecute

If he's caught in the back of 'unsuitable chat' and arranging to meet then I'm all for it. Get these vermin off our streets.