MICHAEL CAMP FROM DISS CAUGHT IN ONLINE CHILD SEXUAL CHAT SCAM BY SEVEN PAEDOPHILE HUNTER GROUPS

In January 2021, a disturbing case unfolded involving Michael Camp, a 34-year-old man from Diss, who was caught engaging in online conversations with what he believed were young girls, but were actually decoys operated by seven separate paedophile hunter groups dedicated to protecting children from online predators.

Camp was actively communicating via Facebook with girls aged between nine and 14 years old. However, these girls were not real minors; instead, they were adult members of the vigilant groups, posing as children to lure potential offenders. The court heard that during these conversations, Camp engaged in sexually explicit discussions, asking the decoys to send him indecent photographs or to watch him perform sexual acts.

The prosecution, led by Chris Youell, detailed that the most serious of these exchanges involved Camp engaging in sex chats with a girl he believed was only nine years old. The incidents spanned a period of approximately three months, from June to August 2019. The case came to a head when one of the paedophile hunter groups confronted Camp at his residence on Victoria Road in Diss. This confrontation was live-streamed on Facebook, bringing immediate public attention to the case. Following this, police were contacted, and Camp was arrested.

During the court proceedings, it was confirmed that Camp admitted to attempting to cause a child to watch sexual activity and to engage in sexual acts himself. The court emphasized that all the children involved in these interactions were decoys, not real minors, which was a key factor in the case.

Representing Camp, solicitor David Stewart, explained that his client had suffered significant personal consequences following his arrest. Stewart described Camp as now living in a hostel, isolated and lonely, having lost everything due to his actions. He also highlighted that Camp had not re-offended and expressed his client’s willingness to seek help for his issues.

Judge Maureen Bacon, presiding over the case, acknowledged the gravity of the offences but also noted Camp’s apparent remorse and desire for rehabilitation. She pointed out that the live-streamed confrontation was a form of public shaming, which added to the severity of the case. Ultimately, the judge sentenced Camp to 24 months in prison, suspended for 22 months, and ordered him to participate in a sex offender treatment programme aimed at preventing future offences. Additionally, Camp was sentenced to complete 250 hours of unpaid work, placed on the sex offenders’ register for ten years, and subject to a sexual harm prevention order to restrict his future activities.

This case underscores the ongoing efforts of online safety groups and law enforcement to combat the exploitation of children and the importance of vigilance in digital spaces to protect vulnerable minors from predators like Michael Camp.