A TEENAGER has become one of the youngest people 'arrested' by so-called paedophile hunters in Northern Ireland.
The 19-year-old was lured to a fast food restaurant in Carryduff, Co Down on Thursday evening, where he was confronted on camera by a group from `Justice Reborn'.
They alleged he had sent messages with a sexual content to a person he believed to be a child of 11 and had been in contact with someone he thought was 10 years old.
The target claimed he did not intend to follow up any messages with a meeting.
When the young man's father arrived and announced he was taking his son home, he was prevented by members of the group who claimed he was under "citizen's arrest" and was being removed "from a crime scene".
The father said he was going to call police, with the vigilantes saying they were already on their way.
An update on the group's Facebook page later claimed the teenager had been arrested.
A PSNI spokesman said on Friday: "Police arrested a 19-year-old man in the Carryduff area on Thursday 11 January. The man remains in custody at present assisting police with their inquiries."
A citizen's arrest is made when a member of the public apprehends someone until police can arrive to make a formal arrest.
According to the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984, anyone can make a citizen's arrest on someone who is either committing or suspected or committing a indictable offence - such as assault, burglary or criminal damage.
However, it can only be carried out if someone is causing physical injury to themselves or others or causing damage to to property and is likely to escape before a police officer can arrive to arrest them.
Justice Reborn is the latest group set up to track alleged paedophiles, formed on December 7 according to its Facebook page, where it describes itself as "a dedicated team that aim to educate and protect children from the dangers of social media and online grooming".
