Brawl at Bluewater shopping centre after 'paedophile hunters' confront man
 

http://www.itv.com/news/london/2017-...rs-attack-man/


I know what my feelings are on this. Any further comments

Re: Child groomers caught
 

Good! :tu:

Re: Child groomers caught
 

I was watching this live on Facebook. I have no sympathy for the guy but those lads did the wrong thing.

Re: Child groomers caught
 

You can't take the law into your own hands, no matter how much you'd like to or how much they may deserve it.

Re: Child groomers caught
 

Yup. The other people certainly have no idea if this guy is guilty or not (not that violence should be used anyway) and have reacted to the accusation alone. It's obviously an emotional crime but we can't have people attacking someone whose accused of something like that.

There was someone who had some learning difficulty and had a run in with a neighbour, that neighbour then spread a rumour he was a paedophile, he was beaten to death eventually despite his many pleas to the police for help as the violence and threats escalated.

Let the police do their jobs.

Re: Child groomers caught
 

Sorry, not a fan of vigilante mob justice.

Seems to me Facebook live is attracting people wanting fame for the wrong reasons.

Re: Child groomers caught
 

I am glad that the comments are some good, and some bad.

I would like to point out one thing. I am NOT in favour of this vigilantly stuff. But l believe that there is a group, that do this. BUT, work alongside a certain Police force that do turn up and arrest the person.

And remember it could be a man or woman.

Re: Child groomers caught
 

I'm of the same opinion as the posts above. Yes, it is good that a child groomer is off the streets. I don't agree with vigilantism though. It's too easy for people to go off half cocked and catch the wrong person. Plus, if someone is a peadophile, gets beaten up and dies, their punishment is quick. Even if they don't die, they may be in hospital a few days, get out and offend again. In either case, their victims will be suffering for years.

The final problem is there are (with good reason) laws controlling how the Police handle interrogations and suspects. Evidence obtained using methods that don't conform to these rules is often illegal, so therefore inadmissable. Any defence lawyer who is half way decent at his or her job may well be able to use this to reduce the sentence, or even get the case thrown out.

Re: Brawl at Bluewater shopping centre after 'paedophile hunters' confront man
 

vigilantism is NOT the right way to get things done at all.

Re: Brawl at Bluewater shopping centre after 'paedophile hunters' confront man
 

I think it depends on what people define vigilantism as. If it's a case of luring a person somewhere to attack them or to a place that would allow an attack to take place then I agree although I understand the rage and emotion that usually fuels it.

However in a situation where a person is tricked in to meeting a decoy with no violence or perceived threats (similar to how Stinson Hunter's stings) so they can be arrested or similarly dealt with by the authorities, I'd say that's not too far detached in principle from giving a tip-off etc to the police.

For a long time I was uncomfortable with these types of groups given how unregulated they were. Again I understand the anger etc but the way they'd corner someone,shouting and screaming "nonce" etc at them, that's not the way to be taken seriously and although many criticise how long it takes for them to turn up they really need the police to feel like they can be relied upon and trusted.

More and more 'refined' and productive hunter groups are popping up where they arrange stings but keep their calm when confronting the groomer and refrain from shouting abuse and aggression. IMO that's the right way to do it.

Incidentally the group behind the Bluewater incident have said they're now thinking of closing down their activities. At the very least they're no longer broadcasting live on Facebook.

Re: Brawl at Bluewater shopping centre after 'paedophile hunters' confront man
 

It is still vigilantism as they are trying to take the law in to their own hands. Whether there is violence or not.

Re: Brawl at Bluewater shopping centre after 'paedophile hunters' confront man
 

those who do this want looking into this is turning into an unhealthy fad .it's just mob justice we have a perfectly good police force it's their job to track down pedophiles and they have the resource to do it right .

Re: Brawl at Bluewater shopping centre after 'paedophile hunters' confront man
 

The problem with this approach is that they're still producing it for public consumption. There is a level of status that they seek that comes with busting paedos, the more paedophiles they bust then the bigger the status and fame. This creates an incentive to to get as many as possible which risks them going after less airtight cases, leading people on, and generally doing things that a court might see as entrapment. Generally I don't see this kind of thing being produced for an audience as anything other than unhealthy.

If people are doing this I would rather a funded group, doing it private, in consultation with the police. If there were a managed scheme from the police or NSPCC then that would be much better IMO.

Re: Brawl at Bluewater shopping centre after 'paedophile hunters' confront man
 

I think that even the police would disagree with you on those points. :(

Re: Brawl at Bluewater shopping centre after 'paedophile hunters' confront man
 

Oh absolutely - but likely due to funding there isn't such a group at the moment.