WELLS EX-SERVICEMAN MATTHEW RUSSELL CAUGHT IN ONLINE STING AT BURNHAM-ON-SEA

In a case that has drawn significant attention, Matthew Russell, a former serviceman residing on High Street in Wells, was caught in a sting operation after engaging in online grooming activities targeting a girl he believed to be 13 years old. The incident unfolded over a period of three months in 2017, during which Russell maintained communication with vigilantes posing as a teenage girl.

Russell's actions culminated when he traveled from Wells to a holiday park in Burnham-on-Sea, with the apparent intention of meeting the girl in person. His plans were thwarted when a group of paedophile hunters, known as Northwest Avengers, confronted him at the location. The confrontation was recorded and subsequently shared on Facebook, where it garnered over 2,600 views. The footage vividly captures Russell being detained by a group of men on a street for nearly thirty minutes until law enforcement officers arrived to take control of the situation.

Following the incident, Russell faced legal proceedings and was sentenced to 12 months in prison, suspended for two years. During the sentencing, Judge David Ticehurst emphasized the gravity of Russell's actions, stating, "There is concern that groups such as these can prejudice a proper, police investigation and that publishing them on the internet is not something that is necessarily helpful. But they are one of the consequences of what you were doing — of talking to people you don’t know online. You were sexually attracted to what you thought was a 13-year-old girl. Before this, you had no criminal record and an unblemished character. That has all come to an end. You have ruined your life."

It was revealed that Russell had previously admitted to attempting to meet a child after grooming her, following an earlier hearing. The case highlights ongoing concerns about online safety and the dangers of grooming, especially involving individuals with no prior criminal record who are drawn into such illicit activities.