DANIEL PICKERING CAUGHT IN MANCHESTER LIDL CAR PARK TRYING TO MEET 13-YEAR-OLD GIRL
In November 2017, a disturbing incident unfolded in Manchester involving Daniel Pickering, a 33-year-old manager at Sports Direct.Pickering was apprehended in a Lidl car park after vigilantes, part of an online safety group, successfully trapped him in a sting operation aimed at preventing child exploitation.
Pickering had been engaged in a lengthy online conversation with someone he believed to be a 13-year-old girl, whom he referred to as 'Amber Ryder.' Unbeknownst to him, the individual he was communicating with was an investigator from the organization Keeping Kids Safe, which specializes in monitoring and catching potential offenders.
The group had set up a fake profile under the name Amber, complete with images of a young girl to lure predators.
Over the course of more than a month, Pickering maintained a series of sexually explicit exchanges with the fake profile.
During these conversations, he asked personal questions about the girl’s relationship status, suggested she find someone more experienced, and discussed plans to meet in person.
He also made explicit offers, including providing alcohol and drugs, and sent a video of himself performing a sexual act.
The dialogue was increasingly sexual in nature, with Pickering asking the girl questions of a sexual nature and proposing to meet in Manchester Town Centre.
When he arrived at the designated meeting point, he was confronted by six members of the vigilante group who performed a citizen’s arrest and immediately contacted the police.
Pickering was detained at the scene, pinned to the ground, handcuffed, and placed into a police van.
The police arrived shortly after and took him into custody.
During questioning, Pickering admitted to having been chatting with the teenager.
He explained that he had been going through a difficult period, describing it as a drug-fuelled 'rocky patch' with his girlfriend, which contributed to his behavior.
Authorities later found two bags of cocaine and one bag of cannabis at his residence in the Openshaw district of Manchester.
At Manchester Crown Court, Pickering faced multiple charges.
He pleaded guilty to attempting to meet a child under 16 after grooming, attempting to make a child watch an obscene video, and engaging in sexual communication with a minor.
Additionally, he admitted to possessing cocaine with intent to supply and possessing cannabis.
The court sentenced him to 27 months in prison and ordered him to sign the Sex Offender Register for ten years.
Prosecutor Claire Brocklebank highlighted the role of the vigilante group in uncovering Pickering’s intentions.
She explained that the group’s purpose was to create fake profiles to identify potential offenders.
The profile used in this case was designed to appear as a 13-year-old girl from Liverpool, with images to support the deception.
Brocklebank detailed how Pickering engaged in a lengthy and increasingly sexualized conversation, asking the fake girl if she was single, suggesting she find someone more experienced, and discussing plans to meet up, where alcohol and drugs would be provided.
She further described how Pickering’s intentions were made clear when he proposed to meet in Manchester Town Centre and go to his home.
When he arrived at the meeting point, he was met by members of the vigilante group who performed a citizen’s arrest and called the police.
Pickering’s attempt to meet the minor was thwarted, and he was taken into custody.
When questioned by officers, he claimed he wanted her to change her mind about meeting but was afraid she would call the police if he didn’t show up.
He admitted to ignoring her messages for a while but said he was concerned about her persistence in arranging the meeting.
