LAWRENCE SIMMS OF PLYMOUTH CONFRONTED BY PAEDOPHILE HUNTERS IN STOKE-ON-TRENT

This incident captured footage of a man, identified as Lawrence Simms, being confronted by paedophile hunters outside the Potteries Centre in Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent. Simms, 54, traveled approximately 250 miles from his home in Plymouth intending to stay overnight in a hotel with a supposed 14-year-old girl. The distressing footage, recorded by The Unknown and subsequently shared with police, aimed to ensure he faced justice.

The video begins with the hunters approaching outside H Samuel jewellers on March 21, 2020. Simms, wearing a cap and carrying a backpack, is initially combative when questioned about his online interactions with the underage girl. He has no prior criminal convictions but believed he was chatting with a schoolgirl. He had arranged to meet her near the blue clock in the area after traveling across the country.

The 27-minute livestream shows the hunters questioning Simms about his intentions and the nature of his conversations. A male hunter states, “You’re here to be arrested for online grooming and attempting to meet a child.” Simms claims he booked the hotel room for himself alone, saying, “I booked the room for me, for one person. Me.”

Throughout the confrontation, members of the public can be heard insulting him, with one shouting, “Dirty b*****.” A female hunter adds, “This is what happens when you mess around with children online. Do you understand?” She asks why he asked the girl to take pictures in her swimwear and accuses him of grooming her for about a month.

The female hunter confronts him directly: “You asked what she was wearing underneath her pyjamas. You have turned up today to meet this child, thinking you’d spend the night with a 14-year-old.” Simms repeatedly claims he cannot remember how many children he’s spoken to and denies finding children sexually attractive, responding, “Not really,” when asked. As he becomes more agitated, he questions, “If I was going to take her back, why would I book a room for just myself?” and claims doubts about his intentions, saying, “Have you ever heard of change your mind?”

He insists he does not know the hotel’s location despite traveling seven hours on a coach, with a hunter challenging him about his travel plans and his attempt to meet the girl. After nearly 30 minutes of confrontation, Staffordshire Police officers arrive, escort Simms away, and place him into a patrol vehicle. The gathered crowd jeers and claps as the incident concludes.

Lawrence Simms, of Keyham Road, Plymouth, pleaded guilty to attempting to engage a child in sexual communication and attempting to meet a child following sexual grooming. At Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court, he was sentenced to nine months in prison, suspended for two years. Paul Cliff, his solicitor, noted that Simms is an isolated individual who lives alone and that the incident has caused strain within his family, emphasizing the emotional toll. Additionally, Simms was ordered to comply with a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for ten years and was placed on the Sex Offenders Register for the same period.