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Letzgo hunting paedos

This news doesn't surprise me as I made the mistake some days ago of trying to read his twitter feed, and lasted just long enough to spot him mentioning that he had received correspondence from the police that wasn't exactly positive.

NUNEATON'S pervert catcher Stinson Hunter has reacted to criticism from the police,

In a joint statement issued online, Warwickshire Police and West Mercia Police have said that they do 'not condone' the actions of the Nuneaton-born self-styled pervert catcher.

It was a rare move by the forces to make such a strong public statement and is believed to be a reaction to an on-going row with Hunter, in which he says he has been threatened with legal action by the forces if he does not stop his online work.

But, speaking to the Nuneaton News, Hunter said he will not stop.

"This isn't going to deter me, I am going to carry on regardless," he said,

"I haven't got a problem with the police, I don't like them but I do have respect for them.

"I am not breaking any laws, they know that and I know that."
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http://www.nuneaton-news.co.uk/Stin...tory-20566198-detail/story.html#ixzz2saKIwG9k

Lots more stuff in the full story, including the police statement.
 
The Stinson Hunter documentary is on channel 4 tonight at 10pm. They are promoting it fairly heavily. I don't think I'll be watching it but thought I should mention it on this thread anyway.
 
elbows said:
The Stinson Hunter documentary is on channel 4 tonight at 10pm. They are promoting it fairly heavily. I don't think I'll be watching it but thought I should mention it on this thread anyway.
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Ta. Production company don't seem especially exploitative from what i can tell. Although i do note the bumpf for one of their people says: Tom specializes in tricky access to uncharted worlds. He spent a year living with the leader of the EDL and a band of Islamic extremists for Proud and Prejudiced. Er...no he didn't.
 
Indeed:

Stinson himself only saw the documentary last night, during a special viewing in London.

But he told the News yesterday morning that previews of the film, which was 18 months in the making, have calmed many of the nerves he has had about it.

The 32-year-old has frankly admitted his chequered past, having been addicted to heroin and also spent time in jail.

But he told the News that he is glad that the real message - raising awareness about the dangers of paedophiles preying on children online - has been portrayed in the film.
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"People are actually getting the message, it is not focussing on me, they are not focussing on my past as a junkie prisoner, they are focusing on the problem that I wanted to highlight, and have done from day one," he told the News.

"It is not about me being a vigilante, it is about focussing on the problem and the lack of action from the police. Police forces get millions of pounds to tackle this kind of crime, yet I can do it for £20 a week and get more results. I can't express how happy I am with the reaction so far, I am not going to lie, I am relieved because for the past 18 months it has all be on me, I have had to back up everything I have said and done, and now all of the work I have done has been validated."
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http://www.nuneaton-news.co.uk/Stin...portant-year/story-23020901-detail/story.html
 
Cheers for the headz up. I'll give it a watch.

Looking forward to learning why they chose Letzgo rather than Pedo4U or HuntersRus.

I'm not necessarily against what the state deems to be vigilantism, but not too keen when it offers less safeguards than the state itself offers. A lot of it appears to be entrapment which is actually illegal in this country for state servants.
 
Citizen66 said:
Looking forward to learning why they chose Letzgo rather than Pedo4U or HuntersRus.
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I've not been keeping track of any possible twists over time, but last I heard Stinson Hunter is nothing to do with Letzgo Hunting, and in fact they were rivals. And unless they changed their mind or someone else took on the group name, Letzgo Hunting shut itself down after getting heat for someone killing themselves.

The spat is mentioned in this article from about a year ago:

http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/local-news/paedophile-hunters-war-over-identity-6142934

Paedophile hunters based in neighbouring Midland towns are at war after the leader of one group accused his rival of threatening to reveal his identity online.

Scumm Buster, who ran Hinckley based Letzgo Hunting, has stepped down – and blames rival paedophile hunter Stinson Hunter for him leaving the group claiming that Stinson Hunter threatened to out him on the internet.

Scumm Buster said he feared for the safety of himself and his family as a result.

He added that he would continue to support Letzgo Hunting which now has a new leader called Psych O Buster.

But Stinson Hunter, based in Nuneaton, just seven miles from Hinckley, denies the claims and says he has been bombarded with online abuse from Scumm Buster and his three strong team.
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In any case the choice of the documentary producers was likely more to do with Stinson being a willing participant, plus not hiding his identity to the extent that many do, e.g. his real name was published a good while ago.
 
how distressing this program is. i used to live in camp hill - that guy was lucky the police came when they did. proper rough area that.
 
elbows said:
I've not been keeping track of any possible twists over time, but last I heard Stinson Hunter is nothing to do with Letzgo Hunting, and in fact they were rivals. And unless they changed their mind or someone else took on the group name, Letzgo Hunting shut itself down after getting heat for someone killing themselves.

The spat is mentioned in this article from about a year ago:

http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/local-news/paedophile-hunters-war-over-identity-6142934



In any case the choice of the documentary producers was likely more to do with Stinson being a willing participant, plus not hiding his identity to the extent that many do, e.g. his real name was published a good while ago.
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I was referring to the thread title not realising they weren't one and the same.
 
I think I used the wrong term. Inadmissible rather than illegal.

You can make an illegal move in Chess and you won't do time for it. I didn't realise in criminality it just means something you can be prosecuted for.
 
Last edited:
Quite a good article here on entrapment:

http://www.lawgazette.co.uk/law/the-law-regarding-entrapment/55972.fullarticle

...key points may be:

"The leading case on entrapment is R v Loosely [2001] UKHL 53. The case was concerned with the actions of undercover police officers carrying out test purchase operations. Lord Nicholls identified that a useful guide when considering whether the conduct of the police amounted to inciting or instigating crime was to ascertain whether the police did more than present the defendant with an unexceptional opportunity to commit a crime. If the police conduct preceding the commission of the offence was no more than might have been expected by others in the circumstances this would not constitute entrapment. If, however, it went beyond this an abuse of process by the state may well be established.
(...)
It appears perverse that, while the law protects against the state causing citizens to commit illegal acts, it does not protect against private parties doing the same thing, where often the participation of the private ‘entrapper’ goes beyond that which would be deemed appropriate by law enforcement officers. Many newspapers stings involve an expensive and targeted campaign on one individual, based on limited or no intelligence, where the inducement is persistent and the primary incentive is to sell newspapers, not to prevent crime."
 
What was most shocking was the apparent flagrancy of some of the nonces.

I thought it was a good programme, though. It gave a bit of an insight into 'Stinson Hunter', and made me more inclined to think that he's motivated by his own demons (i.e. the abuse to which he alluded), than by egotism (though I'm sure he enjoys the fame). Whilst I suspect that it's not ideal for people with an emotional investment to investigate crimes, at least he's doing something, and getting concrete results - the 10 men he's had banged up might have met with other kids, but for Stinson's intervention. And he was obviously a bright bloke, who understands the need to operate within the law to secure admissible evidence.
 
Athos said:
Whilst I suspect that it's not ideal for people with an emotional investment to investigate crimes, at least he's doing something, and getting concrete results - the 10 men he's had banged up might have met with other kids, but for Stinson's intervention.
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Just to be pedantic, 10 people haven't been banged up. As stated at the end, most appeared to have been given suspended sentences or community orders.

I 'm guessing but I imagine this means they're first time offenders. I expect the depression/mental health defence is used a lot of the time in court for such cases. I do wonder how often the opportunity to meet actually comes about by using web forums and whether these men would actually act on their thoughts if such an opportunity were not presented. Also I wonder how many have to sign the SO register and whether support is offered to ensure they don't re-offend or if the consequences of their first court appearance are expected to be a sufficient deterrent.
 
Chip Barm said:
Just to be pedantic, 10 people haven't been banged up. As stated at the end, most appeared to have been given suspended sentences or community orders.

I 'm guessing but I imagine this means they're first time offenders. I expect the depression/mental health defence is used a lot of the time in court for such cases. I do wonder how often the opportunity to meet actually comes about by using web forums and whether these men would actually act on their thoughts if such an opportunity were not presented. Also I wonder how many have to sign the SO register and whether support is offered to ensure they don't re-offend or if the consequences of their first court appearance are expected to be a sufficient deterrent.
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Ok, 10 people convicted - the point remains the same, though.

The fact is that they pursued what they thought were children, going as far as to try to meet them for sex. And, whilst I agree that real kids (as opposed to Stinson's decoys) might be less inclined to agree to meet, depending on how many kids these men attempt to groom online, there's a fair chance that they'd get to meet someone eventually

I think they would be entered onto the register, and that, at the very least they would be offered help.

Overall, I have very little sympathy for the men Stinson catches, and some admiration for his dedication and ingenuity.
 
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