Predator Exposure have brought dozens of perverts to justice including a TV producer and a Council officer
The group have been responsible for bringing a number of offenders to justice through online stings in the past year.
In March, Irish television sports producer Kieran Creaven was jailed for 18 months after Leeds Crown Court heard how he travelled from Dublin to meet a “girl” had groomed.
The fictional teenager had been created by the group.
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Hide AdWhen the 55-year-old turned up for the meeting outside the Queens Hotel, he was confronted by members of the group, who streamed the encounter live on the internet. Creaven, who works for Irish broadcaster RTE, pleaded guilty to attempting to meet a child following grooming for a sexual purpose and of attempting to cause or incite a child to engage in sexual activity, namely kissing and cuddling.
Phillips was already on licence for sexual offences involving an underage girl and subject to a sexual offences prevention order when he set up a fake profile on Facebook.
Using the alias of Anthony Moss, he then arranged to meet 14-year-old ‘Becky’ with the intention of taking her virginity.
Phillips had tried to run away but was detained by members of the group until police arrived.
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Hide AdCouncil officer Paul Newby, 39, was jailed for four years last May after admitting a string of offences relating to grooming underage girls and inciting them in to sexual activity.
He was caught after paedophile hunters tricked him into believing he was chatting on Facebook to a 13-year-old girl in care.
The council tax and benefits officer, from Gildersome, used his work e-mail during the offending and sent sexually explicit images.