This is the moment a man hoping to have sex with a child pretended not to speak English as he was snared by paedophile hunters as he attempted a meeting at a busy railway station.
Bahram Hosseini, 49, thought he had been communicating with a 14-year-old boy on social network Kik but had in fact been duped by Guardians of the North.
Hosseini, who came to the UK from Iran as an asylum seeker, arranged to meet up with their decoy at Newcastle Central Station but was confronted by the group and arrested.
Bahram Hosseini was snared by paedophile hunters as he attempted to meet who he thought was a young boy at a busy railway station
Hosseini had travelled to the city from his home in Pontefract, West Yorkshire, by train for the rendezvous in a journey of more than 100 miles.
At Leeds Crown Court yesterday he was spared jail after pleaded guilty to attempting to meet a boy under the age of 16 following grooming.
The judge said it would be a matter for an immigration and asylum tribunal to decide if Hosseini should face deportation.
Catherine Silverton, prosecuting, said Hosseini had sent messages to ‘Joey’ stating that he was 48 years old and was looking for a boyfriend for ‘love or sex’.
Hosseini continued to send sexual messages despite being told that ‘Joey’ was only 14 years old and lived with his mum.
A spokesperson for Guardians of the North (GOTN) said: ‘What shocked us most about this case was the element of planning that went into it.
‘Hosseini even took photographs of his tickets while he was on the train and sent them to us.
‘When we confronted him he pretended he couldn’t speak English which was insulting and made me angry.
Hosseini, who came to the UK as an asylum seeker, arranged to meet up with their decoy at Newcastle Central Station but was confronted by the group and arrested
‘He had been communicating with us on social media in perfect English. I am glad we caught him before he went on to abuse a real child.’
Hosseini had been chatting to GOTN’s decoy for around a week and a half before a meeting was arranged.
He had exchanged explicit chat with the ‘teen’ despite being told repeatedly he was only 14 and asked if that was ok.
At court he was given a 13 month jail term, suspended for two years, a two week rehabilitation activity requirement and 100 hours of unpaid work.
He was also ordered to sign the sex offenders register for ten years and handed an indefinite sexual harm prevention order.
Hosseini had exchanged explicit chat with the ‘teen’ despite being told repeatedly he was only 14 and asked if that was ok
Catherine Silverton, prosecuting, said Hosseini had sent messages to ‘Joey’ stating that he was 48 years old and was looking for a boyfriend for ‘love or sex’
When Hosseini arrived at Newcastle Central Station he was followed from his train by Guardians of the North who then confronted him.
He is told: ‘You turned up today to meet a child for the purpose of sex and sexual activity. You knew that child was 14.’
Hosseini replies: ‘I am sorry I do not speak English.’
But Guardians of the North tell him: ‘Yes, you do speak English, we have every message you have sent to this child. You speak perfect English.
‘The police are going to be coming, you will be getting arrested.’
Hosseini is then arrested on camera.
The spokesperson for GOTN added: ‘I thought the sentence was a disgrace. Giving him a suspended sentence is not a deterrent at all.
Chat logs between Hosseini and ‘Joey’ who he thought was a young boy but was actually from Guardians of the North
‘I am sure he will go on to do it again. He was not in any way remorseful. He poses a definite risk, and there is a good chance he will re-offend.
‘Next time a real child could be involved.’
Mohammed Raffiq, mitigating, said Hosseini had no previous convictions and had come to the UK as an asylum seeker.
He said: ‘He escaped from the religious intolerance in Iran. This will not make his position any better if he were to go back there.
‘He is clearly in danger of his life if he were to go back there.’
The barrister said Hosseini was sorry and ashamed of what he had done and for the embarrassment he had caused his family.
Judge Penelope Belcher said: ‘No child was in in fact exposed to risk. But you did not know that and plainly you were willing to meet with a 14-year-old boy.’