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'Paedophile Hunter' Arrested After Mob Attacks

'Paedophile Hunter' Arrested After Mob Attacks

A man has been arrested in connection with vigilante attacks on two men who allegedly tried to meet up with underage girls.

The 25-year-old, from Wigan, is being held by Greater Manchester Police on suspicion of assault and blackmail.

Detectives say the two men suspected of being paedophiles by the vigilante group have also been arrested on suspicion of grooming and attempting to meet underage girls.

Police say the group went online to trick the two men into believing they would be meeting underage girls.

But as the men arrived at a meeting place, they were intercepted by the gang and attacked, police say.

An attempt was allegedly made to blackmail at least one of the men, according to the force.

Detective Inspector Charlotte Cadden, from Bolton division, said the victims "were targeted because they had illegally arranged to meet up with underage girls online."

She added: "I want to make it clear that grooming and arranging to meet up with children you have met over the internet is a criminal offence and if you are caught doing this you will be arrested and prosecuted.

"It is unacceptable that this group are posing as underage girls and meeting up with men with the view to either blackmailing them or attacking them in the street.

"If you have any information regarding these incidents, please contact the police as soon as possible."

The first incident took place at around 9pm on 17 April in a church car park in Atherton in Wigan.

A 19-year-old man went to the spot after arranging to meet someone who he thought was a 14-year-old girl, police say.

As he arrived a group of men accused him of being a paedophile and attacked him, filming him as they did so, police say.

After the man escaped he received messages demanding money and was told that if he did not pay, the group would upload the video to Facebook.

The second incident took place at 2.40pm on 18 April at the Market Place in Wigan.

Shoppers witnessed the group accuse a 25-year-old man of arranging to meet a 14-year-old girl online, police say.

He too was allegedly attacked but by one man who headbutted him and knocked out two of his teeth while others in the group filmed him.

The footage has since been posted online, police say.

Both men reported the incidents to the police and were subsequently arrested on suspicion of grooming and attempting to meet underage girls.

One - a 25-year-old from Skelmersdale - has been charged with attempting to meet a girl under 16 after grooming.

He is due to appear before magistrates in Wigan on Monday.

The second man, a 19-year-old, has been released on bail on suspicion of committing a similar offence.