A man attacked and filmed by a group of alleged vigilante paedophile hunters has been jailed for 12 months.
Andrew O’Neill, 25, was beaten up in public after believing he was going to meet a 14-year-old girl he had groomed online. He was confronted and attacked by a group of men in Wigan town centre on 18 April after he made contact on a dating website and booked a room in a hotel in the belief that he was meeting the teenager.
Shoppers witnessed the assault as O’Neill was head-butted and lost two front teeth while some members of the group filmed the incident. He escaped the attack and went to the police to report the assault.
The video was later posted on Facebook with the tag “NWI Nonce Busters” – believed to be a reference to rightwing group the North West Infidels. The video has since been taken down.
O’Neill, formerly of Castlehey, Skelmersdale, was subsequently charged by police and later admitted an offence of attempting to meet a girl under 16 following grooming. He was sentenced at Liverpool crown court where he was ordered to sign the sex offender register for 10 years.
“O’Neill was targeted because he had illegally arranged to meet up with an underage girl online,” DI Martin Reddington, of Greater Manchester police, said. “We do not condone vigilante action; it is dangerous and anyone with concerns about grooming should always report it to police.
“Grooming and arranging to meet up with children you have met over the internet is a criminal offence and if you are caught doing this you will be arrested and prosecuted.”
A 25-year-old man from Wigan was arrested last month on suspicion of assault and blackmail in connection with the attack on O’Neill.
