JOHN WRAY, THE NEWCASTLE PAEDOPHILE WHO PRETENDED TO BE A PAEDOPHILE HUNTER
In August 2020, a disturbing case emerged involving John Wray, a 36-year-old fitness coach from Newcastle, who was found to have engaged in highly inappropriate and illegal activities related to child exploitation and grooming.Wray’s actions came to light when he was confronted by a genuine paedophile hunting team, who had been investigating online predators.
Unaware that he was speaking to members of The Soloceptors/Soul Survivors, a well-known paedophile hunter group, Wray unwittingly revealed his own disturbing interests.
During the confrontation at his residence in Byker, Newcastle, he claimed to be a paedophile hunter himself, asserting that he had helped convict 500 sexual predators.
He used the alias James Craig in online chats and boasted about his involvement in chatrooms where sharing child abuse videos was a condition of membership.
In these conversations, Wray openly admitted to being attracted to children from “birth and upwards,” a chilling statement that underscored the severity of his offending.
He also made disturbing offers, suggesting he wanted to take two 14-year-old girls shopping for underwear and bikinis.
Furthermore, he expressed a desire for their friends, some as young as nine, to dance topless for him in a hot tub.
These conversations revealed a pattern of predatory behavior and a blatant disregard for the safety and well-being of minors.
What made the situation even more alarming was Wray’s false claim of being a paedophile hunter.
He insisted that his alias was merely a cover and that his real purpose was to trap other predators.
He explained, “I’m trying to trap them.
The way we do things, how we do it is we try to make sure they slip up and tell us things, it’s how we do it.” He further justified his actions by stating, “I know it’s not how you do it, our way of doing things would be classed in some cases as entrapment.
We get them to admit things that they’re up to, that’s what we’re about.” Wray claimed to have been running his group, called Scarlettos, for 13 years, a claim that was met with skepticism by the paedophile hunter group.
They promptly reported him to the police, leading to his arrest and subsequent detention for five years and four months.
During the police investigation, authorities examined his phone and uncovered a 50-second video clip of child sexual abuse.
Further scrutiny revealed that Wray was a member of multiple child exploitation groups, highlighting the extent of his involvement in illegal activities.
Wray’s criminal record already included convictions for engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child and producing indecent images of children.
His appearance at Newcastle Crown Court saw him plead guilty to three serious charges: breaching a sexual harm prevention order, attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child, and making an indecent photograph of a child.
The presiding judge, Miss Recorder Allison Hunter QC, condemned his actions, stating, “You demonstrate a complete disregard for court orders and lack of sexual boundaries where the rights and welfare of children are concerned in order to indulge in your own deviant interests and activities.” Wray’s online presence was also flagged, with his Instagram account named “mumanddaughersfucker,” further illustrating his disturbing online activity and attitude towards minors.
