GOTCHA
Iranian asylum seeker pretends he can’t speak English as he is confronted by paedo hunters who posed as a 14-year-old boy
Bahram Hosseini, 49, had been communicating with who he thought was a 14-year-old boy on social network Kik
THIS is the moment an asylum seeker hoping to have sex with a child was snared by paedophile hunters.
Bahram Hosseini, 49, had been communicating with who he thought was a 14-year-old boy on social network Kik, and hoped to be meeting up with him.
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However he had in fact been duped by undercover organisation Guardians of the North.
He arranged to meet up with their decoy at Central Station in Newcastle after exchanging explicit chat but was instead confronted by the group and arrested.
Hosseini had travelled to the city from his home on Wakefield Road in Pontefract, North Yorkshire, by train for the rendezvous in a journey of more than 100 miles.
At Leeds Crown Court yesterday he was spared jail after pleaded guilty to attempting to meet a boy under the age of 16 following grooming.
Catherine Silverton, prosecuting, said Hosseini had sent messages to 'Joey' stating that he was 48 years old and was looking for a boyfriend for "love or sex".
Hosseini continued to send sexual messages despite being told that 'Joey' was only 14 years old and lived with his mum.
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A spokesperson for Guardians of the North (GOTN) said: "What shocked us most about this case was the element of planning that went into it.
"Hosseini even took photographs of his tickets while he was on the train and sent them to us.
"When we confronted him he pretended he couldn't speak English which was insulting and made me angry. He had been communicating with us on social media in perfect English.
"I am glad we caught him before he went on to abuse a real child."
Hosseini had been chatting to GOTN's decoy for around a week and a half before a meeting was arranged.
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He had exchanged explicit chat with the 'teen' despite being told repeatedly he was only 14 and asked if that was OK.
At court he was given a 410 day jail term, suspended for two years, a 15-day rehabilitation activity requirement and 100 hours of unpaid work.
He was also ordered to sign the sex offenders register for ten years and handed an indefinite sexual harm prevention order.
When Hosseini arrived at Newcastle Central Station he was followed from his train by Guardians of the North who then confronted him.
He is told: "You turned up today to meet a child for the purpose of sex and sexual activity.
"You knew that child was 14."
Hosseini replies: "I am sorry I do not speak English."
But Guardians of the North tell him: "Yes, you do speak English, we have every message you have sent to this child. You speak perfect English.
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"The police are going to be coming, you will be getting arrested."
Hosseini is then arrested on camera.
The spokesperson for GOTN added: "I thought the sentence was a disgrace.
Giving him a suspended sentence is not a deterrent at all.
"I am sure he will go on to do it again. He was not in any way remorseful. He poses a definite risk, and there is a good chance he will re-offend.
"Next time a real child could be involved."
Mohammed Raffiq, mitigating, said Hosseini had no previous convictions and had come to the UK as an asylum seeker.
He said: "He escaped from the religious intolerance in Iran. This will not make his position any better if he were to go back there. He is clearly in danger of his life if he were to go back there."
The barrister said Hosseini was sorry and ashamed of what he had done and for the embarrassment he had caused his family.
Judge Penelope Belcher said: "No child was in in fact exposed to risk. But you did not know that and plainly you were willing to meet with a 14-year-old boy."
The judge said it would be a matter for an immigration and asylum tribunal to decide if Hosseini should face deportation.
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