January 2019

Convicted sex offender caught by paedophile hunting team

An already convicted sex offender who was apprehended by a paedophile hunting team has been jailed.

Phillip Cairns, 35 of New Haven, Sussex appeared for sentencing at court where he had previously admitted to four offences:

• Two  counts of breaching a sexual harm prevention order

  Two counts of an adult attempting to meet a child aged (14) for sexual activity following grooming

The court was told that Cairns – who has a previous conviction for sexual offences against a child – had contacted the online profile of who he believed belonged to a 14 year old girl.

Cairns sent highly sexually explicit messages with the clear intent of engaging the child into sexual activity. 

However, the child did not exist, and was instead an adult member of paedophile hunting team ‘All For The Kids‘ who pose online as children to catch sexual predators.

Due to their location, the team passed the sting onto another team called ‘Scorpion Hunters UK’ who visited Cairns at his home, where they questioned him on his internet activity and why he had been speaking to who he believed was a child. 

The team called the police who swiftly arrested Cairns. After reviewing the teams evidence, Cairns was charged. He admitted his guilt at the first opportunity.

Cairns was remanded until his sentencing.

The judge sentenced him to three years imprisonment 

He was issued an indefinite sexual harm prevention order and he was also told that he must register as a sex offender for life