https://www.uea.ac.uk/news/-/article/new-study-finds-paedophile-hunter-groups-violate-human-rights-must-be-regulated
”NEW STUDY FINDS ‘PAEDOPHILE HUNTER’ GROUPS VIOLATE HUMAN RIGHTS, MUST BE REGULATED”
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The activities of these groups, which have sometimes involved the use of violence against alleged suspects, are antithetical to numerous core values and functions of the criminal justice system, said Dr Joe Purshouse, a lecturer in criminal law in the UEA’s School of Law. His findings are published today in the Journal of Law and Society.
This research comes ahead of a UK Supreme Court judgment next month, which will determine whether or not the tactics of ‘paedophile hunter’ groups, and the use of their evidence by police, infringe on the privacy rights of their targets.
Dr Purshouse, whose research focuses on the intersection of human rights law, policing and technology, said: “It should not be permissible for procedural safeguards and human rights laws, which constrain police investigations, to be bypassed by groups of citizens who decide for themselves to engage in intrusive surveillance, public censure and shaming exercises.
“English law is failing to adequately regulate the activities of paedophile hunters. In fact, this research found that more investigatory discretion is afforded to paedophile hunters than to state law enforcement agencies.”
“Untrained paedophile hunters are able to bypass procedural safeguards and regulations on police investigations, and undermine due process and violate the fundamental human rights of suspects.
“Moreover, the tactics these groups use are incompatible with the rules of criminal evidence and procedure, and may damage the proper administration of justice”
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