Lincoln man jailed after paedophile hunters sting

A 46-year-old man from Lincoln has been jailed for two years for offences against minors after being filmed by a group of so-called paedophile hunters.

Samuel Paul Warner from Lincoln was arrested on December 3, 2017 and sentenced this month at Lincoln Crown Court.

‘Hunter group’ Justice4Kids claimed to have posed as young girls in order to bait Warner online.

A video in which a group appear to confront him near to the Lincoln city centre police station has been viewed more than 26,000 times on Facebook.

In the video, Warner is accused of arranging to meet with what he believed to be a minor and sending images. He tells them he “doesn’t know why” he exchanged messages.

Court hearings and sentencing

Warner attended Lincoln Magistrates Court on October 3, 2018 before being committed up to Crown Court on October 31. He attended a further hearing on November 2 before being sentenced at Lincoln Crown Court on November 8.

At the hearing on November 8 he pleaded guilty to the following charges:

• Attempting To Incite A Child To Engage In Sexual Activity, Contrary To Section 1(1) Of The Criminal Attempts Act 1981
• Attempting To Incite A Child To Engage In Sexual Activity, Contrary To Section 1(1) Of The Criminal Attempts Act 1981
• Attempting to Sexually Communicate With A Child, Contrary To Section 1(1) Of The Criminal Attempts Act 1981
•  Attempting To Incite A Child Under 13 To Engage In Sexual Activity Contrary To Section 1(1) Of The Criminal Attempts Act 1981
• Attempting To Incite A Child Under 13 To Engage In Sexual Activity Contrary To Section 1(1) Of The Criminal Attempts Act 1981
•  Attempting to Sexually Communicate With A Child, Contrary To Section 1(1) Of The Criminal Attempts Act 1981

He will also be subject to a 10 year Sexual Harm Prevention Order and have to sign the sex offenders register for 10 years.