December 2018 Child groomer who bit off paedophile hunter’s finger jailed A kitchen porter who bit into a “paedophile hunter’s” finger during a struggle has been jailed for 10 years for assault and attempted grooming. Thomas Jean De-Castle-Lynne, 46, thought he was meeting a 14-year-old girl at Stevenage rail station when he was cornered by vigilantes. In the struggle he bit into nurse Steven Little’s finger so hard it later had to be amputated. Judge Michael Kay QC said it was a “savage attack”. De-Castle-Lynne was trapped by a group called “Catching On Line Predators”, St Albans Crown Court heard. Mr Little told the court: “He clamped on to my finger with his teeth. I remember excruciating pain.” De-Castle-Lynne, of Parsons Green, Hammersmith, was convicted of attempting to meet a child under 16 following grooming, causing grievous bodily harm with intent and common assault. Prosecutor Angus Robertson said: “The group set up a decoy Facebook account in the fictitious name of Maddie Parker. “The defendant made contact and in conversations he made sexual suggestions.” De-Castle-Lynne appeared for sentence via a video link from Bedford prison. Jailing him Judge Kay said: “You began a conversation with ‘Maddie’ – a 14 year old female. In fact there was no such female. “The conversation was sexually explicit. Within a short period you were arranging to meet ‘Maddie’ at Stevenage station.” The “wild and savage attack” had left Mr Little with physical and psychological damage, the judge said. De-Castle-Lynne must register as a sex offender for life. October 2018 Child groomer guilty of biting paedophile hunter’s finger A kitchen porter who bit the top of a “paedophile hunter’s” finger has been convicted of wounding with intent. Thomas De-Castle-Lynne, 46, was trapped by the “Catching Online Predators” group, St Albans Crown Court heard. He arrived at Stevenage railway station thinking he was going to meet a 14-year-old girl for sex in the woods, but was surrounded by the vigilantes. In a struggle he ended up on the ground with one of the group who lost his little finger. The man told the jury: “All I can remember is that as we restrained him we took him to the floor. He clamped onto my finger with his teeth. I remember excruciating pain.” He was taken to hospital, but the wound did not heal and the tip of his left little finger was amputated. De-Castle-Lynne, of Parsons Green, Hammersmith, was convicted of attempting to meet a child under 16 following grooming, causing grievous bodily harm with intent and common assault. He was cleared of assault by beating. During the trial he changed his plea to guilty to causing racially aggravated harm or distress. He was remanded in custody by Judge Michael Kay QC to be sentenced on 29 November. The jury heard the group had set up a decoy Facebook account in the fictitious name of Maddie Parker, a 14-year-old girl. The prosecutor said De-Castle-Lynne was also having Facebook conversations with three other “decoy” girls set up by “Catching Online Predators”. October 2018 Man ‘bit off part of paedophile hunter’s finger’ in Stevenage A “paedophile hunter” had part of a finger bitten off as he tried to arrest a man who thought he was meeting a girl for sex, a court has heard. Jurors were told the hunter was injured during a “violent” struggle with Thomas De-Castle-Lynne in March. Mr De-Castle-Lynne, 46, had been caught in a sting by the “Catching OnLine Predators” group using fake Facebook profiles, St Albans Crown Court heard. He denies six charges, including grooming and common assault. The jury was told Mr De-Castle-Lynne, of Parsons Green, Hammersmith, London, had turned up at Stevenage train station expecting to meet a 14-year-old girl called Maddie Parker. However, the “paedophile hunters” confronted him at the station and Mr De-Castle-Lynne “got Mr Little’s left little finger between his teeth…and would not let go,” prosecutor Angus Robertson said. The finger did not heal and Mr Little has undergone a partial amputation, Mr Robertson told the court. “The defendant made contact and, in conversations, he made sexual references and sexual suggestions. “He arranged a meeting. It was clear from his tone that his intention was for sexual activity to take place.” The court heard the “girl” had told Mr De-Castle-Lynne she was 14. He had asked her to remove her underwear and put it in a bag as she travelled to Stevenage. Mr Robertson said the defendant had Facebook conversations with three other “decoy” girls set up by Catching On Line Predators. Mr De-Castle-Lynne denies attempting to meet a child under 16 following grooming, causing grievous bodily harm with intent, an alternative charge of causing grievous bodily harm, common assault, assault by beating and causing racially aggravated harm or distress. The trial continues.