MARK TURNHULL IN NEWCASTLE TARGETING MINOR CAUGHT BY PAEDOPHILE HUNTERS
A man accused of attempting to meet a 15-year-old girl was caught by vigilant paedophile hunters after local residents helped apprehend him.Mark Turnbull, aged 51, had been engaging in explicit conversations with a person he believed to be a schoolgirl through the social media platform Scout.
In reality, he was speaking with members of the vigilante group Dark Justice.
The group confronted Turnbull when he arrived at St Anthony's Park in Walker, Newcastle, intending to meet the girl.
He then fled in his car to the nearby Daisy Hill estate, where he abandoned his vehicle.
With assistance from local residents, he was ultimately captured.
A Dark Justice spokesperson explained, 'We followed him at a safe distance until he left his car and continued on foot.
We informed local people about our actions, and they helped us locate him.
He was hiding in an alleyway, and around 20 people assisted in the effort.
One resident found a mobile phone he had hidden under a bin near the alley, which was crucial for securing a conviction.
We contacted the police, and he was arrested.' Video footage shows Turnbull attempting to hide his face beneath a coat while cowering in an alley.
A member of Dark Justice is heard telling him, 'You knew exactly how old the girl was.
You are lucky you did not destroy some girl's life.
You would have if you had got your hands on the girl.' This week at Newcastle Crown Court, Turnbull admitted to attempting to meet a girl under 16 following grooming efforts.
He was sentenced to 18 months in prison, suspended for 24 months.
The court also imposed a two-year rehabilitation activity requirement, a 140-pound victim surcharge, a ten-year ban from signing the sex offenders register, and a minimum of 54 days attending a sexual offenders' programme.
The Dark Justice spokesperson commented on the sentencing, saying, 'The sentences that judges pass these days are never harsh enough.
Next time, this man might target a real child.
There is no deterrence and no real punishment.'
