Paedophile 'hunter' who performed racist chants during Leeds city centre protest is jailed

Philip Hoban, who helps put sex offenders behind bars as part of an online group, was given an eight-month sentence at Leeds Crown Court this morning. He was also given a Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO) lasting five years.

The 48-year-old was involved in the protest on The Headrow on the afternoon of August 3 as rival groups clashed. Police put up barriers near to Leeds Art Gallery to keep far-right demonstrators and anti-fascist supporters apart. However, insults were traded between the groups.

Hoban, of Northcote Crescent, Beeston, was convicted at Leeds Magistrates’ Court after admitting causing racially-aggravated harassment, alarm or distress.

Prosecutor Carmel Pearson told the court that Hoban was caught on camera performing racist chanting, pretending to pray like a Muslim, and rubbing his lips as a racial slur.

Footage of the events were played to the court. Hoban was later arrested after being identified. However, he has already uploaded a video on TikTok claiming he did not want to be associated with the violent display.

Footage that was not shown to the court but put on record showed Hoban trying to reason with the opposing groups during the protests.

During his police interview, he denied being racist and said he was of mixed heritage. He claimed he was chanting “Alan” rather than “Allah”. He also said he was not mimicking Muslim prayers and said that both sides were hurling insults.

Hoban has 24 previous convictions for 66 offences, including, affray, possession of bladed articles, arson, drug offences and was jailed for 42 months in 2006 for burglary.

Representing himself, Hoban said: “I would like to apologise to the person and people I have offended. I’m truly sorry. I mean it from the bottom of my heart. I had no right to do what I did.

“Everybody who knows me knows I’m not racist. Most of my friends are from all races. I see them all as brothers and sisters.”

He said he had since lost his job, and that he has now decided to step down from the paedophile hunter group Predator Exposure, which he set up in 2016 and has helped convict more than 400 online offenders trying to meet children.

He said he had previously donated money to an Asian youth club in his community. He described himself as a “stupid drunken idiot” and vowed never to attend another protest.

He said: “I’m not an evil person or racist, I made a stupid mistake. I deserve what’s coming to me.”

The Recorder of Leeds, Guy Kearl KC, told Hoban: “You climbed onto a barrier and started rubbing your lips at a person of colour. You started to imitate the manner in which Muslim people pray in order to mock and mimic their religion.”

The CBO given to him bans him from posting any messages on social media that could incite racial hatred and congregate in public with two or more people that could cause harassment, alarm or distress.

West Yorkshire Police say they have made 34 arrests since the disorder on August 3 and have vowed to bring all offenders to justice.

Violence has erupted in dozens of towns and cities across Britain. Hotels where asylum seekers were known to be staying were targeted and set on fire, shops were looted, police cars attacked and bricks and debris hurled at officers.

Four men have already been jailed for their parts, including a man who made monkey gestures towards a black woman that were caught on camera on The Headrow. Two Asian men who attacked a group of men draped in Union Jack flags shortly after the protest were also locked up.

Another male from Leeds has also been jailed for posting messages on Facebook encouraging people to smash the windows of a Seacroft hotel where he knew asylum seekers to be staying.

The disorder across the country followed the fatal stabbings of three girls at a Taylor Swift-themed holiday club in Southport.

However, initial violent clashes with police took place in Harehills on the night of July 18, which resulted in a police car being attacked and a double-decker bus torched.