MATTHEW STONE CAUGHT IN MOTHERWELL PAEDOPHILE STING AT GLASGOW'S BUCHANAN BUS STATION

In a disturbing case that highlights the ongoing efforts to combat online child exploitation, Matthew Stone, a 42-year-old man from Motherwell, found himself at the center of a police operation targeting online predators. The incident unfolded at Buchanan Bus Station in Glasgow, where a vigilant paedophile hunting group set up a sting operation to catch individuals attempting to engage in illegal sexual activities with minors.

Between August and September 2019, Stone engaged in a series of online conversations with what he believed was a 14-year-old girl. In reality, he was communicating with members of a dedicated paedophile hunting group posing as a teenage girl from Glasgow. During these exchanges, Stone made inappropriate requests and provided instructions on how the girl could perform a sexual act on herself, demonstrating a clear intent to exploit a minor.

Stone’s actions culminated in him sending a total of 534 messages via text and WhatsApp, during which he expressed a desire to meet the girl in person. Prosecutor John Bedford outlined that Stone explicitly stated he wanted to see her and invited her to his flat. He even offered to buy her a new phone and suggested she could stay at his residence. Furthermore, he mentioned giving her wine and instructed her not to tell her mother, claiming he did not want her to get drunk or sick. Stone also asked her to bring her school uniform without her mother’s knowledge and instructed her to claim she was 17 when in his company.

Authorities were alerted to Stone’s activities when the group identified him at Buchanan Bus Station in Glasgow. Police swiftly responded and arrested him at the scene. The case was brought before Glasgow Sheriff Court, where Stone pleaded guilty to multiple charges. These included sending written sexual communications to an adult pretending to be a child, attempting to involve a child in sexual activity, and intending to meet a child for unlawful sexual purposes.

During the court proceedings, Sheriff Joan Kerr deferred sentencing until next month to allow for background reports to be prepared. In the meantime, Stone has been placed on the sex offenders register indefinitely and has been granted bail. This case underscores the importance of vigilant online monitoring and the ongoing efforts by law enforcement and community groups to protect children from exploitation and abuse.