In 2019, the Offender Database reported that Paul Farrell, then 31, of Halifax, West Yorkshire, was sentenced at Bradford Crown Court. Farrell, who sparked a major five-hour rooftop stand-off to evade capture, was convicted of targeting a “decoy” profile he believed belonged to a 13-year-old girl.
The court heard that in June 2018, Paul Farrell used his personal Facebook profile to communicate with an online profile monitored by the group Catching Online Predators. Farrell sent sexually explicit messages and arranged to meet the “girl” on two separate occasions—once outside Calderdale Royal Hospital and once at Huddersfield railway station. Although he failed to appear at the designated meeting points, the group was able to track him to an address in Halifax. When Farrell realised the activists were outside, he climbed onto the roof of a property on Ripon Street, where he engaged in a live-streamed stand-off, hurling tiles and insults at the crowd below and causing £1,000 in damage.
During the sentencing, the Recorder of Bradford, Judge Jonathan Durham Hall QC, praised the work of the hunting group, stating they provided a “great service” by staying within the law to expose predators. He noted that while Farrell had 55 previous convictions, none were for sexual offences. The judge revealed a “hard logic” in his sentencing. If Farrell were given an immediate custodial sentence, he would likely be released in a matter of weeks, given the time already served on remand. Instead, the judge opted for a “tough alternative” to ensure Farrell received professional intervention.
Paul Farrell was handed an 18-month prison sentence, suspended for two years. He was ordered to complete a 90-day sex offender group work programme and was made subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO). Furthermore, he must register as a sex offender with the police for the next 10 years. The judge warned Farrell that any breach of his order could result in a five-year prison term, emphasising that both the police and online groups would be “watching and waiting.”
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