Leeds pervert caught after car chase live streamed on Facebook when he was confronted by online paedophile vigilante group at Golden Acre Park

A pervert was arrested after a car chase streamed live on Facebook after he was caught in an online sting by a Leeds paedophile vigilante group.
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Craig Clayton turned up at Golden Acre Park in Leeds believing he was going to meet a 14-year-old he had been sending sexual messages to.

Leeds Crown Court heard Clayton had actually been making contact with a decoy Facebook account set up by the Predator Exposure paedophile hunter group.

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Conor Quinn, prosecuting, said group members set up a fake account in the name of 'Becky' and engaged in conversation with the defendant on Facebook Messenger.

Pervert Craig Clayton was confronted by paedophile vigilante group in the car park at Golden Acre Park.Pervert Craig Clayton was confronted by paedophile vigilante group in the car park at Golden Acre Park.
Pervert Craig Clayton was confronted by paedophile vigilante group in the car park at Golden Acre Park.

A message was sent to Clayton stating: "I'm 14 years old and I have got up late for school."

Clayton replied asking the 'girl' if she had a boyfriend.

During the conversion 41-year-old Clayton lied about his age, stating that he was aged 30.

He sent a message saying he was too old for her but that she was "gorgeous".

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Clayton also requested naked photographs of the girl and suggested going to her house.

Arrangements were then made to meet the girl in the car park at Golden Acre Park.

Mr Quinn said Clayton turned up at the park in Bramhope on March 14, 2018, believing he was going to meet the teenager.

Members of the group were waiting in three cars and tried to block him into the car park when he arrived.

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Clayton managed to drive off but was followed by the group members who live streamed the pursuit as the defendant drove to his then home in Headingley.

Police were contacted and officers arrested Clayton at his home.

He made full admissions about his offending when he was interviewed.

Michael Walsh, mitigating, said Clayton has no previous convictions and had not committed any further offences in almost three years since he was arrested.

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The court heard Clayton's relationship with his partner had ended as a result of the convictions.

The defendant had also moved house due to people turning up outside his home after his arrest.

Clayton was given a two-year prison sentence, suspended for two years.

He was also ordered to do 200 hours of unpaid work and complete 30 rehabilitation activity requirement days.

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Sentencing, Recorder David Gordon said: "This wasn't just in the realms of fiction or theory.

"You actually turned up for a meeting with what you believed to be a 14-year-old girl, intending to have some kind of sexual contact with her.

"There was a long pursuit to the Headingley area which was live streamed on Facebook, a process which the Crown does not approve of, nor does the court.

"The dangers of such behaviour of the vigilante group, notwithstanding what they will no doubt say was with good intentions, is obvious."