ANDREAS PAFITIS CAUGHT IN HENBURY PAEDOPHILE STING IN EXETER

In a disturbing case that unfolded in November 2021, a pensioner from Henbury named Andreas Pafitis found himself at the center of a serious criminal investigation after being caught by a dedicated paedophile hunting team operating online. The incident highlights the ongoing efforts of vigilant groups to protect children from exploitation and the dangers lurking in digital spaces.

Andreas Pafitis, aged 74, was found to have engaged in inappropriate and illegal communications with a person he believed to be a 13-year-old girl. The exchanges took place on the dating platform Mingle2, which is officially restricted to users over the age of 18. Despite this restriction, Pafitis initiated contact with what he thought was a young girl named Mia. The profile he interacted with displayed a picture of a girl who appeared significantly younger, raising immediate concerns about the nature of the communication.

According to reports, Pafitis sent explicit images and sexual messages to the decoy, who was actually an undercover member of the paedophile hunting group known as 'UK database.' The group had set up the profile to catch individuals attempting to engage minors in sexual conversations. The investigation revealed that Pafitis believed he was communicating with a 13-year-old girl from Taunton, and he was aware of her age from the outset. Despite this knowledge, he continued to pursue the conversation, complimenting her appearance and steering the dialogue toward sexual topics.

He described himself as “open-minded, respectful, caring and understanding,” and even suggested they meet in Exeter. The chats escalated to the messaging app WhatsApp, where he urged her to touch herself and requested indecent photographs. Pafitis also sent her adult pornography and offered to teach her about sex, demonstrating a clear intent to exploit.

On August 13, 2018, just 23 days after their initial contact, Pafitis arranged to meet the girl in Exeter. The paedophile hunters confronted him at the designated location, questioned him about his intentions, and subsequently handed him over to the police authorities for further investigation.

At Exeter Crown Court, Judge Timothy Rose sentenced Pafitis to eight months in prison, suspended for two years. The judge emphasized the severity of the case, noting the graphic nature of the messages and the clear intent to exploit a minor. Pafitis was also placed on the sex offenders’ register and subjected to a sexual harm prevention order, which grants police the authority to monitor his online activity and prevent further offenses.

During the sentencing, Judge Rose remarked, “When I consider the nature and extent of what was going on here and the number of messages with such graphic content, the decision to suspend the sentence is a merciful one. It is quite obvious what you were doing and you had ample opportunities to stop. You were up to your neck in it.”

Prosecutor Mr. Nigel Wraith highlighted that although Mingle2 is restricted to adults, the profile used by the decoy was designed to appear much younger, with a picture of a girl who looked significantly underage. The case underscores the importance of vigilance and the ongoing efforts of law enforcement and community groups to combat online child exploitation.