ANDREW HALLIDAY FROM DENNY CAUGHT IN FALKIRK PAEDOPHILE STING

In May 2021, a disturbing case unfolded involving Andrew Halliday, a man from Denny, Stirlingshire, who narrowly avoided imprisonment after attempting to lure a 14-year-old girl for sexual purposes. The incident was uncovered through the diligent efforts of vigilant paedophile hunting groups operating in the Falkirk area, specifically targeting individuals who attempt to exploit minors online.

Halliday, aged 49, engaged in a prolonged grooming process that spanned over six weeks, during which he exchanged more than 1,000 messages solely on WhatsApp with what he believed was a 14-year-old girl. In reality, the girl was an adult decoy set up by two separate vigilante groups, Earth Angels and Shatter The Silence, to catch predators attempting to contact minors. Despite the girl repeatedly informing him of her age and discussing her school days, Halliday continued his pursuit, indicating a clear intent to exploit her.

The investigation revealed that Halliday responded to a profile created on the dating app Twoo under the alias “Molly,” which was part of the sting operation. Over the course of several weeks, he engaged in casual conversation, initially discussing her family and daily life, before gradually introducing sexual topics. Prosecutors detailed that Halliday made explicit references to sexual acts he wished to perform and expressed a desire to meet her for sexual contact.

Mrs. Alex Kirk, representing the prosecution, explained that between February 1st and February 18th, 2020, Halliday and “Molly” communicated daily via WhatsApp. During these exchanges, he repeatedly acknowledged her age of 14, yet continued to ask invasive questions about her school life and sexual inexperience, clearly aware of her young age. Halliday also repeatedly asked her to delete their conversations and inquired whether she had disclosed their chats to anyone, indicating an awareness of the illicit nature of his actions and the potential consequences.

On the day of the planned meeting, February 19th, members of the vigilante groups arrived at Halliday’s residence on Parkhall Drive in Maddiston. When confronted, Halliday insisted that “she told me she was 19,” despite the evidence to the contrary. Police were called to the scene, and Halliday was promptly arrested. During his arrest, he shouted that “it was a fiction,” attempting to deny the seriousness of his actions.

Halliday was subsequently charged and pleaded guilty to attempting to communicate indecently with a child and attempting to meet a child with the intent of engaging in unlawful sexual activity. His current residence is in Denny, Stirlingshire, where he awaits sentencing. This case highlights the ongoing efforts of online vigilante groups to protect minors from predators and underscores the importance of vigilance in digital spaces to prevent such exploitation from occurring.