DAVID PENNEY CAUGHT IN NEWMILL SCANDAL BY ONLINE VIGILANTES AT KEITH HOME

In a striking case that highlights the dangers of online predators and vigilantism, David Penney, a 56-year-old resident of Main Street, Newmill, was caught in a sting operation orchestrated by dedicated paedophile hunters. The operation was carried out with the intent to expose individuals engaging in inappropriate communications with minors, and it culminated in Penney’s arrest at his residence in Keith.

According to reports, Penney believed he was engaging in conversations with young girls as young as 13 years old. In reality, he was communicating with adult volunteers working undercover for online groups committed to exposing offenders. These volunteers had set up decoy profiles to lure individuals like Penney into revealing their intentions and inappropriate interests.

The operation began when the vigilantes, posing as delivery drivers, approached Penney’s front door after successfully convincing him to come outside. They had previously engaged him in online chats, where he believed he was speaking to minors. Once at his home, the volunteers relayed the information to police, who had already been contacted by Penney himself, apparently seeking to remove the vigilantes from his doorstep.

Penney’s case was brought before Inverness Sheriff Court, where he faced serious charges. Although he avoided a prison sentence, the court mandated that he participate in a rehabilitation program specifically designed for sex offenders. Additionally, he will be subject to three years of social work supervision and will remain on the sex offender’s register for the same duration.

Sheriff Sara Matheson, who had previously deferred sentencing to allow for a comprehensive background report, presided over the case. The court was informed that Penney’s inappropriate online interactions began on September 25, 2021, when he started communicating with a decoy posing as a 13-year-old girl named ‘Isla’ on a chat site. During these exchanges, Penney asked invasive questions about her nipples, her bra, and expressed a desire to see more of her.

Further details revealed that Penney ended this particular conversation after a few days, blocking the contact number. However, the vigilante group set up another decoy, this time under the alias ‘Chloe,’ and contacted him on January 26, 2022. In this subsequent interaction, Penney again inquired about her wearing a bra, expressed a desire to see her topless, and asked about her nipples and whether she had seen a man’s penis.

After ending this second conversation within 24 hours, Penney’s actions did not go unnoticed. The vigilante group traced him by posing as a delivery driver with a damaged parcel meant for him. They obtained his address and, when they arrived at his home, the encounter was filmed and broadcast live on social media, bringing the case to public attention.

Interestingly, Penney himself contacted the police to report the vigilante activity. When officers arrived at his residence, representatives of the online groups handed over their evidence dossier, which detailed his online behavior and interactions. This case underscores the ongoing efforts of online groups to combat child exploitation and the complex legal and social issues surrounding vigilantism in such cases.