A PAEDOPHILE hunter who dressed up as Batman to deliver information to police about sexual predators has been warned to stop.
Activist Scott Rivers claims to have unmasked more than 20 paedophiles by posing as a young person on chat sites, with the 29-year-old vowing to continue the hunt despite warnings from police.
SWNS:SOUTH WEST NEWS SERVICE
The Ivybridge local delivered his latest dossier to police in Exeter in Devon on Monday, about an offender he calls “Mr Shy”, but received a “cease and desist” letter from cops the next day.
The masked crusader has vowed not to stop hunting paedophiles, claiming several of his targets have appeared in court thanks to his actions.
He said: “I don’t see myself as a vigilante – I am not attacking anyone, just passing on information to help people with their enquiries”.
His actions are similar to other paedophile hunter groups who set up meetings with suspects after engaging them online, posing as young children.
The force said it was aware of Mr Rivers, who lives in Ivybridge, and his efforts to proactively try to entrap people by posing as a girl under the age of 16.
A spokesman said: “Whilst his aims seem laudable, we are asking him to stop undertaking these entrapment activities for a number of reasons.
“Firstly, this type of vigilante work could disrupt on-going police or other law enforcement operations on known websites, groups or individuals.
“It also places the man in question at risk of allegations of criminality in his own activities, for example incitement.
“He is also potentially wasting police time as the Crown Prosecution Service current stance is to question any attempt to prosecute where evidence is gathered by private entrapment or an unregulated ‘agent provocateur’, and not through regulated police operations.
“Finally and most importantly, it could divert genuine victims away from reporting offenders to the police or other authorities.
“If you have any concerns about the online habits of any adult, or fear that your child could be at risk, then please contact the police.”
Despite the warning, Mr Rivers said he intends to continue his crime-fighting activities and does not consider himself a vigilante.
He said: “I have taken legal advice and have not broken any laws and won’t be ceasing or desisting.
“I am simply given the police information – intel – it is their choice if they act on it or not.
“People like Dark Justice have had a lot of success using fake profiles – many have been charged.
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