In 2019, the Offender Database reported that Matthew Thomson, then 36, of Littleham Close, Bransholme, Hull, was sentenced to 12 months in prison at Hull Crown Court. Thomson, a “vile” and “predatory” Beaver Master for the Scouts, was snared in a sting operation by the paedophile hunting group “Keeping Our Kids Safe.” He pleaded guilty to grooming what he believed was a 14-year-old boy on the dating app Grindr and searching for sickening, indecent images of young boys online.
The court heard horrendous details regarding Thomson’s role within the Scout movement, where he was in charge of children aged six to eight. While the judge noted there was no evidence he had acted untowardly with the children in his care, his internet search history revealed a serious and “disturbing” interest in “very, very, very young boys” and “Scouts.” Despite his deplorable attempts to tell the probation service he had “no sexual interest in children,” his actions in arranging a sexual meeting with a minor reported otherwise.
During the investigation by Humberside Police, Thomson’s computer was seized and found to contain 23 indecent images. The prosecution reported that these images had been edited with black rectangles, a vicious tactic used by predators to attempt to bypass the detection software used by internet service providers. Judge Roger Thomas QC described Thomson as a “lonely, pathetic individual” whose access to the Scout movement was deeply worrying, given his vile digital behaviour and intent to harm a child.
As a result of his conviction for these serious sexual crimes, Matthew Thomson was jailed for one year. He was ordered to sign the Sex Offenders Register for ten years and was made subject to a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO). He is managed under Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) by Humberside Police, remaining under intensive supervision. Any presence near Scout groups or further predatory digital activity in Bransholme, Hull, or elsewhere will result in his immediate arrest and return to prison.
If you or anyone you know has been affected by the individuals highlighted on this website, please report them to the Police on 101 (999 in an emergency) or visit their online resources for further details on reporting a crime. You can also report to Crimestoppers if you wish to remain completely anonymous. There is help available on our support links page.