A series of sick messages saw a Tayside paedophile snared by a notorious vigilante group.
The Wolf Pack Hunters group tried to confront William Rennie at his home in Forfar in August 2018 after he sent a series of messages to their decoys, thinking they were children.
Rennie, 30, admitted sending grotesque messages and pictures to accounts he believed belonged to schoolgirls between the ages of 12 and 15.
However, the accounts were actually being run by adult members of paedophile hunter groups.
Vigilantes from the Wolf Pack Hunters UK arrived at Rennie’s Forfar home while he was at the Special Olympics and his parents answered the door .
The Glasgow-based group, led by Gordon Buchan and his teenage son Jay, arrived outside the flat wearing hoods and facemasks and bellowed obscenities at Rennie and others inside the property.
The encounter was broadcast by the group live on social media.
Decoy 1 – ‘Gemma Jones’
Throughout July 2018, Rennie chatted with someone he thought was 14-year-old Gemma Jones on adult dating app Meet24.
It was actually a member of the Keeping Kids Safe UK group.
His opening gambit, “bet u got a great body for your age” was met with the response, “Hi I’m Gemma, I’m 14.”
Fiscal Depute David Currie said: “The accused immediately started sexualised conversation, stating ‘bet u got a sexy body to go with that stunnin face’.”
Rennie asked for a “head to toe” photo and an image of a fully clothed girl was sent. Rennie said she had “a stunning body.”
Mr Currie said the witness tried to have non-sexual conversation but Rennie continued his filth and began asking for more photographs.
He told the decoy account: “U know I won’t show no 1 sexy photos u send me.”
When “Gemma” said she was shy, Rennie said: “Don’t be I’m all alone for any photo u send me if its in ur PJs or in ur underwear or notthin on or topless.”
“Gemma” added she might get into trouble but Rennie’s returned: “Baby u can trust me and ur mum wont know ur send them if we wont tell no one.”
The content of Rennie’s messages became more graphic.
In a rare non-sexual exchange, he said he worked part time in Poundstretcher and lived with his parents and siblings.
Mr Currie said the chat continued for some days and Rennie’s poorly written messages grew increasingly graphic.
Over their four weeks of contact, Rennie continually asked for topless and naked photographs.
At some point, he sent a photograph of male genitalia.
Decoy 2 – ‘Kayla Louise’
Rennie contacted another adult, of Shadow Hunters UK, throughout July and the first half of August 2018 through her decoy account in which she posed as 12-year-old Kayla Louise on dating site Meet4U.
He told her: “u look older than 12.”
Mr Currie said: “The accused asked a couple of general questions then went straight into asking ‘is ur camera working.'”
When asked what this meant, Rennie replied: “can u send a photo of u topless.”
Harrison told him this was rude and he responded: “I will send a photo of my willy.”
Mr Currie added: “At this point, the accused then sent a photograph of a naked penis.”
The image appeared to be the same as the image sent the first decoy.
Decoy 3 – ‘Freya Hewitt’
Another member of Keeping Kids Safe UK communicated with Rennie between July 9 and 31 through Meet24.
Her pseudonym, 13-year-old Freya Hewitt, received vulgar demands after telling Rennie her mother was going out one night.
“So u can send sexy pics of u” he messaged her.
Rennie asked for topless pictures and was told he was being “rude” by the decoy.
Rennie then sent a photograph of a male holding his genitals, which appeared to have a similar backdrop to images he sent to other traps.
Decoy 4 – ‘Jessica Carlo’
A third group, Shield of the Innocent became involved when two members communicated with Rennie on FastMeet using the identity of, 15-year-old Jessica Carlo, between July 10 and August 11.
Mr Currie said: “Conversation was initially general chat.”
However, Rennie soon asked for photographs of Carlo in her pyjamas.
His messages became increasingly menacing, telling the girl: “I want to touch you all over,” to which, when asked why, he said: “cuz u got a great body.”
He then began asking the girl to perform sex acts.
Confronted
On Wednesday at Perth Sheriff Court, Rennie’s defence solicitor said he “does not have a learning disability, but is at the low end of intellectual functioning.”
Sheriff Gillian Wade deferred sentencing for a psychological report.
Rennie was released on bail and is due back in court on September 22.
Buchan later admitted breach of the peace and fellow member Marcin Kuciak denounced the group as “a bunch of thugs looking for mob justice” as he was sentenced for his role in the sting.
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