RAUL PEREZ FROM THE PHILIPPINES CAUGHT IN ABERDEEN HOTEL CHILD GROOMING STING

In September 2018, a disturbing case unfolded in Aberdeen involving Raul Perez, a man originally from the Philippines, who was ultimately sentenced to prison for attempting to engage in sexual activities with a minor. Perez, who was in Aberdeen for a training course, became the subject of a sting operation conducted by a group known as Groom Resisters Scotland, which specializes in exposing online predators.

According to court reports, Perez had been communicating with a person he believed to be a 14-year-old boy named Ben Holmes through a social networking site called Meet Me. Unbeknownst to him, the profile was a fake account created by the group to trap potential offenders. Initially, the profile claimed the user was 19 years old, but it later changed to state that he was 14 and resided in Edinburgh.

On the evening of March 27, 2018, Perez was instructed to meet the supposed minor at the Aberdeen Altens Hotel. During their online exchanges, Perez was encouraged to come to the hotel, and he was told that the young person would need to change out of his school uniform before meeting him. Perez then asked, “Do you like to have romantic moments?” indicating his intentions.

However, the predator’s plans were thwarted when a group of men from Groom Resisters Scotland arrived at the hotel instead of the intended victim. The group approached Perez at around 9 pm and questioned him about his messages to the supposed 14-year-old. Perez initially claimed he was there to meet a 19-year-old, but the group detained him while they contacted the police.

Police officers responded swiftly to the scene and arrested Perez. During the investigation, authorities discovered indecent videos of children on his phone, which he had used to send the messages. The phone contained 11 videos, totaling 34 minutes, with eight classified as Category A and three as Category B, indicating severe content.

At Aberdeen Sheriff Court, Perez, who was remanded in custody at HMP Grampian, admitted to possessing child sexual abuse images and meeting a minor with the intent to engage in sexual activity. His address was listed as HMP Grampian, and his detention was backdated to March 29, the day he was first taken into custody. The court also learned that Perez had planned to stay in the UK for only ten days.

Judge Jack Brown sentenced Perez to 16 months in prison and ordered him to be placed on the sex offenders register for a period of ten years. The judge emphasized the seriousness of the charges, describing them as “serious.” Perez’s case will return to court next month for a full sentencing hearing, where additional reports will be considered.

Following the conviction, a spokesperson for Groom Resisters Scotland expressed satisfaction with the outcome. They stated, “We are pleased that he has now pleaded guilty to his crime and that he will be sentenced to the rules of the law. We do feel we are having a positive impact. Police Scotland is under staffed and under financed.”