Northern Ireland

Man confronted by self-styled 'sexual predator hunters' takes own life

The vigilante group questioned the man about alleged online activities involving children (Stock picture)
The vigilante group questioned the man about alleged online activities involving children (Stock picture) The vigilante group questioned the man about alleged online activities involving children (Stock picture)

CONCERNS have been raised after a Co Antrim man took his own life, having been confronted by an online group styling themselves as “sexual predator hunters”.

The man died on Tuesday morning after being confronted by members of a group called ‘Silent Justice’ at his home on Sunday.

It is understood that during the encounter, broadcast live on Facebook, the man was questioned about his alleged online activities involving children.

It is understood the dead man was a middle-aged father-of-two.

According to Silent Justice he had “contacted two of our decoys separately and incited both into sexual activity and sent indecent images of himself and requested them of the children”.

During the exchange on Sunday the man at one point denies knowing the age of one of the decoys who was posing as a 14-year-old girl.

He also objects to the conversation being broadcast live but is told he is under “citizen’s arrest”.

Police officers later arrive on the scene and question the man.

The Silent Justice spokesman said that “due to our research team finding out information that [name withheld] was in contact with other young children, we as a team felt it necessary to expose [name withheld] sooner rather than later and hand him and the evidence to the police”.

A recording of the exchange, which lasts over an hour, was later removed from a Facebook page operated by Silent Justice “out of respect for the family”, the group said.

Last night police said they are “investigating the sudden death” on August 8.

A spokeswoman added that “the death is not being treated as suspicious”.

Jim Gamble, a former PSNI officer and former chief executive of the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre, voiced deep concerns about the methods used by Silent Justice.

He said he has seen a lot of “unregulated activity”.

Mr Gamble said he understands the “frustration that draws people to become involved” but added: “It’s fundamentally unregulated and not integrated with law enforcement and often more about promoting the activities of the group than making sure due process is followed.

“If this man was guilty he should have been brought before the courts.

“We have to go through the due process and apply the principles of the law.”

Mr Gamble said he hopes that the PSNI will consider appointing ‘special constables’ who can be properly trained to deal with similar issues.

“That means working with the police and in conjunction with the criminal justice system and not on Facebook live,” he said.

Mr Gamble warned that “we are not far away from an accident happening or an innocent person being accused”.

“They don’t have the capacity, sophistication and policies in place to deal with these issues effectively,” he said.

Last night a spokesman for Silent Justice said the group operates across Ireland and Britain as “child protection enforcers” and denied it was in any way responsible for the man’s death.

The group offered its sympathy to the man’s family but defended its actions and methods.

North Antrim Sinn Féin councillor Philip McGuigan extended his sympathies to the family, whom he knows.

He said “allegations of abuse against children need to be taken very seriously”.

But he said: “That said, any allegations or information that people have regarding abuse or any potential crimes should be reported to the police and or social services for them and the courts to deal with. I would encourage everyone to follow this and only this course of action.”

Mr McGuigan warned that “vigilantism or exposure on the internet without any due process is certainly not a proper way to handle any such allegations and shouldn’t be condoned either in a modern society”.