The online ‘paedo hunters’ who snared a Guernsey-based predator have said they are “pleased” he was found guilty by the island’s Royal Court and they “hope and trust” his sentence will reflect his “unacceptable” behaviour.
36-year-old Darrin Bellingham was found guilty of numerous sexual offences last Thursday.
He had admitted attempting to cause a child to watch sexual activity, attempting to cause or incite a child to engage in sexual activity and sending indecent messages.
He was also found guilty of arranging or facilitating commission of a child sex offence, and attempting to groom a child for sexual conduct, which he had denied.
He will be sentenced for all of these offences next month.
The Royal Court heard that Bellingham had been in contact with who he thought was a 13-year-old girl called Abbie who lived in Essex.
However Abbie was really a decoy profile set up by London Overwatch, which described themselves to Express as an ‘Online Child Activist Group’.
“Darrin was a particularly bad online predator that gave us grave concerns, hence us handing him in to the amazing Guernsey Police immediately to be investigated and processed,” a spokesperson for the group said.
After the group had handed the information they had collated on Bellingham to Guernsey Police he was arrested before standing trial last week.
“London Overwatch is pleased with the guilty verdict for Darrin and look forward to his sentencing in March,” the group added.
“We hope and trust the judicial system will reflect his unacceptable online behaviour with what he believed to be an underage child when passing his sentence.”
London Overwatch is one of a number of similar groups operating across the UK.
They tend to work by setting up decoy accounts posing as young people to engage in conversation with potential predators who then commit offences.
London Overwatch said all of their actions are legal and they encourage anyone with concerns about their own child’s online experiences to contact their local police force.
London Overwatch added that they were grateful to Guernsey Police for their support and pledged to continue their work.
“We fully respect and commend the proactive attitude and thorough approach from Guernsey Police officers.
“London Overwatch will continue to work tirelessly to expose these individuals to aid in their conviction, this is all done voluntary and within the law.
“As a society, we deserve to know who walks among us, we encourage parents to check their children’s devices so our children can be online in a safe environment without the threat of being groomed by online sexual predators.
If a parent has any concerns about who their child is speaking to and / or any online content they have been exposed to, please contact your local police immediately.”