JOHN WILLIAMS FROM PENZANCE SENTENCED AFTER INTERNET SEX CHAT WITH PAEDOPHILE HUNTERS IN CORNWALL

In December 2019, a disturbing case unfolded involving John Williams, a 71-year-old resident of Leskinnick Place in Penzance, Cornwall. Williams was caught engaging in explicit online conversations with what he believed to be underage girls, but these interactions were actually with members of the paedophile hunters group Hunters 24/7, who had traveled nearly 350 miles from their base to confront him.

Williams was targeted after the group’s decoy profiles initiated contact with him on the internet. The members of Hunters 24/7, upon visiting his residence, identified themselves to police as they arrived at the property. They explained that Williams had been communicating with female profiles that were, in fact, operated by the group, and that he had engaged in sexually explicit exchanges with what he thought were young girls aged 12 and 13.

Following the police intervention, Williams was taken into custody and brought to Truro Crown Court to face serious charges. The court heard that he was accused of attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity, as well as attempting to communicate sexually with a minor. The evidence presented included footage from the Hunters 24/7 live stream, which clearly showed Williams discussing sexual acts and making inappropriate comments about the decoys.

During the trial, the jury was shown the video in which the hunters explained their journey of 347 miles to confront Williams. The footage revealed that Williams had told the decoys he wanted to have sex with them and questioned what difference age made. He also used explicit language, nicknamed his own genitalia and the girls’ genitals, and asked for explicit images and videos from the decoys.

Williams’ defense claimed that he was aware he was speaking to paedophile hunters and was merely playing along to expose them. However, the jury rejected this argument after a brief deliberation, finding him guilty of all four charges. Prosecutor Paul Grumbar stated that the messages retrieved from the chat logs demonstrated Williams was seeking sexual gratification from the decoys.

Judge Simon Carr sentenced John Williams to 21 months in prison, emphasizing the seriousness of his actions and the importance of protecting minors from such predatory behavior. The case highlights the efforts of paedophile hunters in Cornwall and across the UK to combat online grooming and safeguard vulnerable children from exploitation.