Confronted by a "Paedophile Hunter" Group: Your Rights and What Happens Next

Being confronted by a so-called "paedophile hunter" group is frightening. It often happens in public, on camera and with no warning, and the video may be live-streamed or posted online within minutes. What you do in that moment, and in the hours that follow, can affect both your safety and your legal position. This guide explains your rights and what usually happens next.

Who are these groups?

Online vigilante groups create profiles pretending to be children, usually aged 12 to 15, on social media, dating and messaging apps. When an adult engages in sexual conversation with a decoy, or arranges to meet, the group may turn up at the meeting point, or at the person's home or workplace, to confront and film them. They then call the police and hand over the messages.

They are not police officers and have no special powers. In many cases, the police are only told about the investigation at the point of the confrontation.

What happens after the confrontation?

The police will usually arrest you, either at the scene or soon after. Your phone and other devices are likely to be seized, and your home may be searched. You will be interviewed under caution at the police station.

Before the interview, a solicitor will ask the police what evidence they have, often the full message history and the group's recordings, and advise you in private. Whether to answer questions, give a prepared statement or answer "no comment" depends on that disclosure. Our guides to police interviews and what to do if you are arrested explain more.

You may be charged quickly, because the messages are already available, or released on bail or under investigation while your devices are examined. If you live with children, the police are likely to involve children's services, and bail conditions may restrict contact with children.

What will I be charged with?

Because the "child" is usually an adult decoy, charges are normally brought as attempts under the Criminal Attempts Act 1981. Common charges include attempting to commit:

• sexual communication with a child (section 15A of the Sexual Offences Act 2003),
• causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity (section 10), and
• meeting a child following sexual grooming (section 15), where you travelled to meet the decoy.

If devices are examined, further charges can follow, for example for indecent images. Our page on sexual offences involving children explains these offences in more detail.

How can the evidence be challenged?

Courts generally admit evidence gathered by these groups, but it is not beyond challenge. A defence will usually look closely at:

• Completeness: whether the whole conversation has been provided, including the first contact, or only selected screenshots.
• Who led the conversation: whether the decoy introduced sexual topics or pressed for a meeting.
• Belief about age: what age the decoy gave, how clearly, and whether the profile and photos were consistent with it. The prosecution must prove you believed you were talking to a child.
• Identity and attribution: whether you were the person using the account at the relevant times.
• The confrontation: anything said under pressure, on camera and without legal advice may be challenged under section 78 of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 if it would be unfair to admit.
• Handling of the evidence: how the group stored, edited or published the material, and whether it was passed to the police intact.

See our guide to digital evidence for how phone and account data is analysed.

What about the publicity?

These groups often publish their videos, sometimes with your name, face and location. That can lead to harassment of you and your family. Practical steps include:

• reporting threats, harassment or damage to your property to the police,
• asking platforms to remove content that breaches their rules, especially personal details,
• not responding to comments or messages about the video, and
• telling your solicitor about the publicity, as it may be relevant to bail and to the fairness of a trial.

Once someone has been arrested, criminal proceedings are "active" under the Contempt of Court Act 1981, and publishing material that creates a substantial risk of serious prejudice to a trial can be contempt.

Sentencing in decoy cases

Where no real child was involved, courts sentence largely on the basis of what the offender intended, but may adjust the sentence to reflect that no child was actually harmed. Early guilty pleas, genuine engagement with treatment and an absence of previous convictions are important mitigation. A conviction will usually bring notification requirements and a Sexual Harm Prevention Order. See our sentencing overview for more.

Getting support

A confrontation and the publicity that follows can be overwhelming. If you are struggling to cope or having thoughts of harming yourself, you can call the Samaritans free, day or night, on 116 123.

If you are worried about your own thoughts or behaviour online, the Stop It Now helpline, run by the Lucy Faithfull Foundation, offers confidential support on 0808 1000 900. Seeking help is the right thing to do, and engagement with support services can also be relevant later in any criminal case.

Frequently asked questions

This article is general information about the law in England and Wales, not legal advice.