Facebook paedophile confronted at Wakefield service station after singling out five 'children'
He had little clue a vigilante group were behind the profiles
A predatory paedophile who latched onto five online profiles of young girls was later confronted by a vigilante group at a service station.
Osama Tariq thought he was speaking with children, telling them they were “sexy”.
But the 40-year-old had little clue that they were all decoy profiles run by a paedophile hunter group.
They eventually detained him at Woolley Edge Services near Wakefield before calling the police.
But Tariq was spared immediate custody at Leeds Crown Court this week and was handed a suspended sentence.
Prosecutor Zanisha Herbert said for more than four months at the end of 2024 and early 2025, Tariq had used Facebook Messenger to contact what he thought were girls between 13 and 15.
He lied about his own age, telling one he was just 17. He told others he was in his early 20s, and said he was either from Leeds or Halifax.
He asked them for photos, called them “sexy” and said he was “horny”.
A 999 call was eventually made to West Yorkshire Police following a disturbance at Woolley Edge and Tariq was arrested at the scene.
The court heard there was no suggestion he was trying to meet a child at that point.
His phone was seized and a small number of child-abuse images were found downloaded.
Tariq, of Thornfield Avenue, Huddersfield, admitted five counts of attempted sexual communications with a child, and possession of Category B and Category C indecent images.
Mitigating, Mark Stephenson conceded there “could never be an excuse” but said Tariq had suffered the loss of a child and resulting marriage problems.
He said he began drinking heavily and the offending began, describing it as “drunken maelstrom”.
He added: “He has lost his marriage and desperately wants help.
“He is absolutely disgusted at his conduct. He has made the biggest mistake of his life and is has cost him everything.”
Judge Penelope Belcher handed him a 20-month sentence, suspended for 24 months, and ordered him to complete 15 rehabilitation days with probation, a Building Choices behavioural programme and 200 hours of unpaid work.
He was also put on the sex offender register for 10 years and given a 10-year sexual harm prevention order (SHPO) to curb his internet use.