BRANSHOLME PAEDOPHILE HUNTER STING: MATTHEW THOMSON SENTENCED FOR SEXUAL OFFENCES INVOLVING 14-YEAR-OLD BOY

In March 2019, a disturbing case unfolded involving Matthew Thomson, a 36-year-old man from Littleham Close, Bransholme, who was convicted of attempting to engage in sexual activity with a minor he believed to be a 14-year-old boy. The incident was part of a sting operation conducted by a paedophile hunting group known as Keeping Our Kids Safe, which aimed to catch individuals seeking to exploit children online.

Thomson, who also held the position of Beaver Scout leader responsible for young boys aged six to eight, was found guilty of multiple serious charges. These included searching for indecent images of young boys on the internet and grooming what he thought was a 14-year-old boy named David on the homosexual dating app Grindr. It was later revealed that the profile of 'David' was entirely fabricated by the group, designed to lure potential offenders and expose their intentions.

The court proceedings at Hull Crown Court detailed how, after engaging in conversations with the fake profile, Thomson was informed that 'David' was only 14 years old. Despite this, the conversation continued, and Thomson attempted to arrange a meeting with the supposed minor for sexual purposes. It was only at this point that Thomson realized the profile was a trap, prompting him to contact Keeping Our Kids Safe. The group responded by issuing an ultimatum: if Thomson did not surrender to the police, they would publicly release his personal details on their Facebook page.

In May of the previous year, Thomson met with members of the paedophile hunting group outside Clough Road Police Station in Hull. The group recorded the encounter, during which Thomson admitted to the conversation with 'David' and expressed that, upon discovering the minor's age, they could begin with kissing and touching before progressing to sexual acts. Following this admission, Thomson handed himself over to authorities.

During a police interview, authorities recovered Thomson's personal computer, which contained seven indecent images classified as Category B and sixteen images in Category C. Prosecutor Mr. Philip Evans explained that the images had been deliberately obscured with black rectangles over the children's private parts, possibly to evade detection by software used by law enforcement agencies. Further forensic analysis revealed that Thomson had searched for terms related to indecent images of 'young gay boys,' 'very, very, very young boys,' and notably, 'Scouts,' raising concerns about his interests.

Despite his criminal activities, Thomson claimed to the probation service that he had 'no sexual interest in children,' a statement contradicted by the evidence. Judge Roger Thomas QC described Thomson as a 'lonely, pathetic individual' who lived with his mother and brother. The judge expressed concern over Thomson's involvement with the Scout movement, particularly his role as a Beaver Scout leader, which involved working with very young boys. The judge noted the disturbing possibility that Thomson's involvement with the Scouts might have been motivated by unhealthy interests, although there was no direct evidence of misconduct during his time with the organization.

Judge Thomas emphasized the seriousness of the case, stating that Thomson's actions demonstrated an unhealthy interest in children and that his attempt to meet a 14-year-old for sex was a grave offense. He sentenced Thomson to 12 months in prison and imposed a 10-year sexual harm prevention order. Additionally, Thomson was ordered to sign the Sex Offenders Register for ten years. The judge concluded by sending a clear message: accessing such material and attempting to commit sexual offenses with minors as young as 14 will result in imprisonment, reinforcing the importance of protecting vulnerable children from exploitation.