Two paedo hunters could become first in UK to be jailed after wrongly accusing innocent father of being a rapist
TWO paedo hunters could become the first in the UK to be jailed after wrongly accusing an innocent father of being a rapist.
Sam Miller, 29, and James Moss, 58, forced their victim to the ground, shone a light in his eyes and accused him of engaging in sexual chats with a child.
The duo, part of hunter group Child Online Safety Team, humiliated the innocent man live on Facebook in a 14-minute ordeal.
Newcastle Crown Court heard the vigilantes, who get over 1,000 views each video, “berated” the man after believing he was a convicted rapist.
Prosecutor Gavin Doig said the live stream sting showed the motivation behind the group was “publicity and grandstanding, not the detection of offenders”.
He added: “The live streaming and telling him it was being viewed by a large number of people increased the impact and the trauma suffered.”
At one point in the lengthy vid, a voice said to be Miller’s, is heard screaming: “You are a danger to kids.
“You are one of the most dangerous people I’ve caught.”
Cops were called to the scene back in February 2020 where they arrested the victim and held him in custody for 17 hours before he was released without charge.
He told police: “Fair enough if I was convicted and jailed but innocent until proven guilty, not in their eyes, you are guilty full stop.”
The family man was left with suicidal thoughts, wore a scarf or a mask in public, and said everyone he loved became a victim to bullying online.
Mr Doig told the court the group was more concerned about “Facebook likes” than upholding the law.
He said “amateur groups” posing as kids online have sprung up across the country and started hunting for internet offenders.
Mr Doig added Miller had called North Yorkshire Police making them aware of the alleged predator they had just detained.
He said: “At 9.15pm Mr Miller called the police and told them not only had he decided to detain the man, he had already done it.
“The defendant Moss was with Miller at that time.
“They didn’t take time to call the police before they acted but made time to live stream the events on Facebook, so we can see some of what went on.
“The man said he was forced to the ground and held there and had a torch shone in his eyes while being questioned.
“Only after this process was Miller to call the police.”
Gordon Carse, defending Miller, said he has since stepped back from the group.
He said: “[Miller] believed what he did was right.
“He has stepped back from it [the group] and there are no plans to go back into it.
“Prison will punish him but is unlikely to address the underlying causes of his offending.”
Peter Eguae, defending Moss, said: “To act outside the protection of the law certainly was not his intention.
“He will not be a vigilante again. He has learned a sad, long and valuable lesson.”
Miller and Moss were convicted of false imprisonment after a trial, where they insisted their activities were to protect the public.
The pair were due to be sentenced on Friday but Judge Julie Clemitson adjourned the case until June 23.