BELFAST MAN THOMAS MEEK CAUGHT IN PAEDOPHILE STING AT ALEXANDER PARK

In a serious case that highlights ongoing concerns about child exploitation and online grooming, Thomas William Meek, a 42-year-old resident of Nansen Street in West Belfast, has been sentenced to seven months in prison after being caught attempting to meet a schoolgirl he had been communicating with online. The incident took place amidst a broader effort by paedophile hunters to expose predators, culminating in a confrontation at Alexander Park in North Belfast on July 23, 2022.

According to court proceedings, Meek had previously pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including attempted sexual communication with a minor, attempting to meet a child following sexual grooming, and making an indecent photograph of a child. These offences spanned a period from February 2020 to July 2022, revealing a pattern of concerning behavior over more than two years.

The Belfast Crown Court heard that police responded to reports that a group dedicated to exposing individuals involved in the sexual exploitation of children had confronted Meek at Alexander Park. The prosecution, led by Barrister Mark O’Hara, detailed how the investigation unfolded. On June 30, 2022, a member of the paedophile hunter group created a fake online profile on a dating website, posing as a young girl. This account was used to engage in conversations with Meek, who had access to the account and communicated with the fictitious minor daily until the confrontation.

During these exchanges, Meek was told that the girl was only 14 years old. Despite this, he repeatedly asked to meet her in person and expressed a desire to show her pornographic material. The court was informed that he sent numerous messages of a sexual nature, including requests for physical intimacy, such as kissing and oral sex, and discussed the possibility of meeting at Alexander Park. He also sent messages via WhatsApp, where he continued to request a meeting, asked for pictures, and discussed alcohol and drugs, all while talking about avoiding detection.

On the day of the planned meeting, Meek arrived at Alexander Park, where he was confronted by members of the paedophile hunter group. A subsequent police search of his mobile phone revealed the presence of one Category B indecent image and one Category B indecent video. During police interviews following his arrest, Meek admitted that the communications were his but claimed he did not derive sexual gratification from them. He also stated that he was unaware of the images found on his device and expressed remorse for his actions, describing them as destructive to his life.

In court, the defense highlighted that Meek was a father of five children, including minors, and that social services were already aware of his offending. It was noted that he had lost the support of his family and friends since his arrest and no longer maintained contact with his children. A pre-sentence report from the Probation Board assessed Meek as not posing a future danger to the public. The report indicated that he expressed remorse but did not fully understand the reasons behind his sexual offending. The report also suggested that he was motivated to avoid further offending.

Judge McGarrity emphasized the seriousness of the case, citing the significant age difference between Meek and the fictitious girl, the persistent and sexually explicit nature of their communications, and the premeditated attempt to meet. The judge sentenced Meek to seven months in prison, with an additional seven months on supervised license upon release. Furthermore, Meek was placed on the sex offenders register for ten years and was subject to a Sexual Offences Prevention Order for no less than five years, underscoring the gravity of his actions and the ongoing risk to the community.