A Stockton man who thought he was meeting a 14-year-old girl but was being tricked by a group of internet paedophile hunters has been jailed for a year.
John Rudd, 57, from Appleton Road contacted a fake profile set up by the group Dark Justice and arranged a meeting even after being told the “girl” was under-age.
When Rudd travelled to Newcastle for the illegal rendezvous, he was shocked to find two men in their 20s armed with a video camera waiting for him on the Millennium Bridge.
Rudd was arrested minutes later, and Dark Justice made statements to the police.
The sex offender was charged with attempting to meet a child after secular grooming.
He admitted the offence and was sentenced at Newcastle Crown Court, just yards from where Dark Justice’s sting operation took place in November.
Judge Penny Moreland jailed him for a year and placed him on the Sex Offenders’ Register for 10 years.
The vigilantes, who describe themselves as concerned citizens, set up a profile on the site Badoo in the name Donna.
When Rudd was caught, Dark Justice filmed him saying: “I just feel stupid.”
Dark Justice revealed outside the court that members wear bullet-proof vests for their meetings.
They hope publicity might make paedophiles reconsider trying to meet children, and raise awareness among parents.
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