Man caught by 'paedophile hunters' gets community order after four months in custody
A man who was caught out by "paedophile hunters" has been handed an 18-month community order after a judge heard that he had already spent four months in custody on remand.
Mark Rose, aged 42, of Yew Tree Close, in Spring Gardens, Shrewsbury, had pleaded guilty to three counts of attempting to engage in sexual communication with children.
Prosecutor Dean Easthope told a sentencing hearing at Shrewsbury Crown Court on Monday that a group of paedophile hunters had broadcast a visit to a property in Poplar Close, Shrewsbury live on Facebook where they confronted him.
He said the offences took place in September, October and November 2023 and involved paedophile hunter groups called "Saving Children's Future" and "Changing Children's Futures".
Rose had "persistent contact over two weeks" with a decoy Facebook profile of a child aged 14. He had told them that he was 41 and was "turned on" by young girls.
Later he claimed not to be attracted to children and that he had "issues and needed help," said Mr Easthope.
Mr Easthope said Rose had one previous 12-month community order following a conviction over sending a Facebook message to a 13-year-old girl in 2015 and a caution related to sending a message to a 14-year-old niece of a partner.
