Yahoo News Five twisted predators whose sleazy online activity found them in court
Social media offers a wealth of opportunities to mix with friends and family and people with shared interests.
But every day, online predators abuse platforms such as Snapchat and Kik to target teenagers for sexual exploitation. A number of undercover police operations aim to intercept these abusers before they are able to harm real children.
Controversial 'paedophile hunters' also operate online to snare people who target underage girls and boys. In some cases this provides evidence which leads to a prosecution. These men are among those who have fallen into the online traps across Lancashire.
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Brian Sumner
A pervert who tried to incite an 11-year-old girl into sexual activity has been jailed for four and a half years.
Brian Sumner, 61, posed as a 25-year-old on a teenage chatroom to talk to 'Izzy', who said she was 11. But 'Izzy' was really a paedophile hunter who caught Sumner out and reported him to the police.
Sumner is now beginning a jail sentence after admitting a string of sexual offences relating to children.
FULL STORY: 'Shy and law-abiding' businessman jailed after paedo hunters set 'Izzy trap'
Christopher Farina
A man who attempted to meet a teenage boy for sexual activity in Lancaster was tackled to the ground by peadophile hunters when he turned up to meet him.
Christopher Farina, 58, started chatting to someone he believed to be 'Kayden', a 14-year-old boy, on the Romeo app in February 2023. For around three weeks, Farina engaged in sexual conversation, which included sending a picture of his penis.
He also asked Kayden for a photo of him in his pyjamas, Preston Crown Court heard. On March 1, Farina arranged to meet the boy at Asda in Lancaster. However when he arrived, he was met by members of the Save Our Children Online (SOCO) paedophile hunters group, who manhandled him to the ground and restrained him.
FULL STORY: Predator greeted by paedophile hunters when he turned up to meet 'schoolboy'
Jason Collier
A pervert who attempted to meet a 13 year old girl he met on an online dating site has been jailed. Jason Collier, 31, believed he was talking to a teenager when he was snared by a paedophile hunters' group in June 2022.
Preston Crown Court heard Collier was prepared to travel from his home in Brierfield to meet the girl at Potters' Bar. He even told her he was "too old for her" in a string of explicit messages.
Now the predator has been jailed for 45 months after it emerged he promised to book a hotel to have sexual activity with the 'teenager'. He has been shunned by family and friends after they learned of his sickening online activity.
FULL STORY: Paedophile hunters catch Burnley pervert who booked hotel to have sex with child
Stuart Mallen
A convicted paedophile travelled to St Annes to meet a 15-year-old boy he had been chatting to on Grindr.
But when he arrived, Stuart Mallen was met by self-styled paedophile hunters who surrounded his car and called the police. Mallen believed he was chatting to a schoolboy who asked to move the conversation to WhatsApp in February 2024.
However he was really speaking to a decoy from the 'My voluntary Online Child Protection Team', who was posing as the youngster, Preston Crown Court heard.
FULL STORY: Pervert claimed he agreed to meet schoolboy 'to warn of online stranger danger'
Graham Robinson
A man who was caught by peadophile hunters when he tried to engage in explicit conversation with two supposed 14-year-old girls has been handed a suspended prison sentence.
Graham Robinson, 49, used the online messaging site 'Chathour' to speak to the girls online. However the profiles, which had the names Sara and Summer, were being operated by decoys, who were working for an online child protection group.
Robinson, of Grantham Road, Blackpool, was sentenced to 12 months suspended for two years with 30 days rehabilitation activity requirements and a six month alcohol treatment program. He also made him the subject of a sexual harm prevention order and notification requirements for 10 years.
FULL STORY: Pervert wanted to play strip poker with a schoolgirl but then paedophile hunters turned up at his work
