A paedophile hunter tells how he snared a Wigan pervert who thought he was meeting a schoolboy for sex

A child sex offender was caught when he thought he was heading to an illicit rendez-vous with a schoolboy in Wigan town centre.

What greeted him when he arrived at North Western Station though was a team of self-styled “paedophile hunters” who made a citizens’ arrest.

It had been Michael Thompson from the Child Online Safety Group who had been pretending to be the young victim and conversed with paedophile Wayne Kelly via a legitimate gay social media platform.

Kelly, 49, of Lower St Stephen Street, Gidlow, has now been given an 18-month custodial sentence by a Bolton Crown Court judge but it was suspended for 21 months.

He must also undergo mental health treatment, 18 months of supervision, complete 150 hours of unpaid work, sign on the sex offenders’ register for 10 years and be made the subject of a sexual harm prevention order for the same amount of time.

In an exclusive interview with Wigan Today, Mr Thompson said he was glad Kelly had been brought to justice because of the threat he poses to boys but described the sentence as “one of the most feeble I have seen.”

Kelly went on trial 10 years ago accused of sexually abusing boys and selling them illegal drugs. He was cleared of the sexual crimes and convicted of the drug offences.

But the case drew the attention of the Child Online Safety Group and, years later, he fell into their trap, Mr Thompson posing as a 14-year-old boy.

They conversed online several times, with Kelly sending intimate pictures of himself and his face, as well as a video of two men having sex.

Then on August 20 2023, the sting was executed.

Mr Thompson said: “It was made clear to him that he was talking to a minor but he sent these images. With the video he told the boy that he wanted to do that to him.

“Kelly told him that he wanted to meet him at Wigan North Western station and that he would be driving around in his red car. He would not give the licence number but we knew what he looked like from the picture he sent.

“The meeting was arranged and my team and I saw him driving around in his car, but he didn’t get out. So he was sent a message saying ‘I’m at the train station but I can’t find you.’

“It was then that he parked up and headed towards the station. That’s when my team walked up and detained him.

“He struggled but we held on and then a police officer came round the corner, it was explained what was happening and he immediately cuffed Kelly.

“Amazingly when he was taken to the police station it was the same officer meeting him who had seen him 10 years earlier.”

Kelly initially denied the charges of attempted sexual communication with a child and attempting to cause a child to watch a sexual act, failed to appear at the next hearing and then turned up the following day to change his pleas.

Mr Thompson said: “The sentence is disappointing because this man has an unhealthy interest in under-age boys and is a very dangerous individual.

“At least now with a sexual harm prevention order over him, he will be scrutinised properly.”

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