DARREN VOLANTE CAUGHT IN SWINDON BY PAEDOPHILE HUNTERS AND WALKING FREE FROM COURT
In July 2018, a disturbing incident unfolded in Swindon involving Darren Volante, a man who became the target of an intense operation by a group of paedophile hunters known as 'Justice4children.' Volante, who was 31 years old at the time, was actively engaged in online communications with what he believed to be underage girls.His actions included sending explicit images of his private parts and attempting to arrange in-person meetings for sexual encounters.
Specifically, he believed he was coordinating with a 13-year-old girl, whom he referred to as Lauren, with the intention of meeting her at his home in Toothill.
The situation took a dramatic turn when Volante left his house and headed to a bus stop near a local pub, expecting to meet Lauren.
Instead, he was met by members of the 'Justice4children' team, who had been monitoring his online activity.
The hunters filmed the arrest as police officers arrived on the scene, capturing the moment for a live stream that garnered over 60,000 viewers on Facebook.
Further investigation into Volante’s digital devices revealed that he was in contact with three other individuals posing as underage girls—'Ella,' 'Lexi,' and 'Polly.' All three were decoys created by the online paedophile hunters to entrap individuals like Volante.
Each of these interactions followed a similar pattern: Volante immediately made sexual comments and, in some cases, sent explicit images, including a photograph of his genitals to two of the decoys.
In court, prosecutor Colin Meeke outlined the details of Volante’s misconduct.
He explained that Volante had contacted the Facebook profile of a girl named Lauren, who was only 13 years old.
The defendant quickly escalated the conversation by making crude sexual remarks and requesting similar images from her.
An arrangement was made for him to meet Lauren, which he confirmed by going to the bus stop near a local pub, expecting to pick her up.
However, he was intercepted by the paedophile hunters before the meeting could occur.
Following his arrest on February 19, the police examined his electronic devices and uncovered evidence of contact with the other decoys.
The operation was filmed and streamed live, drawing significant public attention.
Volante, residing on Beaulieu Close in Toothill, pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including four counts of attempted sexual communication with a child under 16, three counts of attempting to cause a child to view sexual activity, and attempting to meet a child after sexual grooming.
The court initially sentenced him to a total of 26 months in prison but later reduced the sentence by two months, citing an error in the initial calculation and the need for him to undergo a sex offenders' rehabilitation program.
Earlier in March 2018, Volante had already admitted to child sex offences related to this case during a hearing at Swindon Crown Court.
The court heard that he had attempted to meet a girl under 16 following grooming and had engaged in sexual communication with minors.
His sentencing was scheduled for May, pending further proceedings.
This case highlights the ongoing efforts of online vigilante groups to combat child exploitation and the importance of law enforcement in prosecuting offenders who seek to prey on vulnerable minors in the digital age.
