CAMERON HAIGH CAUGHT IN BEVERLEY BY PAEDOPHILE HUNTERS TRYING TO LURE UNDERAGE GIRLS IN HORRIFIC ONLINE PREDATION PLOT

In a disturbing case that highlights the dangers of online predators, Cameron Haigh, a 24-year-old man from Beverley, was caught attempting to engage in sexual activities with what he believed were underage girls. The incident unfolded in February 2019 when he was targeted by vigilant paedophile hunting groups operating undercover online.

Haigh had been actively using the social media platform Jaumo, claiming to have set his profile parameters for girls aged between 17 and 21, although this detail could not be verified by prosecutors. His communications with the decoys, who were posing as minors, spanned from October 13 to December 22, 2017, with another set of conversations occurring from February 20, 2017, to February 1, 2018.

During these exchanges, Haigh made it clear he was seeking sexual encounters. He sent indecent photographs of himself and requested similar images in return, despite being explicitly told that the profiles belonged to children. One of the decoys, a 13-year-old girl named “Paula Page,” was part of an operation by the group One Reason, while “Gabby Osbourne,” aged 14, was posted by Justice For Children. Both were part of the groups’ efforts to catch online predators.

Prosecutor Richard Thompson detailed the disturbing nature of Haigh’s messages. He explained that Haigh made suggestive comments to “Paula,” who stated she was on the site to make friends and had never engaged in such activities before. Despite her protests, Haigh persisted with sexually suggestive remarks. He explicitly described the sexual acts he wished to perform, and when “Gabby” received messages from him, he suggested they could meet up and even sent her explicit images via WhatsApp.

Police traced Haigh’s phone number to his residence on Nursery Gardens in Beverley. Members of Justice for Children visited his home on February 10, 2019, and confirmed his identity. Following this, police arrested him, and he admitted to the charges against him.

Haigh faced multiple serious charges, including four counts of attempting to cause or incite a child to engage in sexual activity and two counts of attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child. His criminal history includes a caution for common assault in 2010 and a juvenile conviction for grievous bodily harm.

During the court proceedings, Haigh provided references from a retired detective inspector, his general practitioner, his employer, and relatives, including his aunt and uncle. Despite these, the court found his actions deeply troubling.

Judge David Tremberg sentenced Haigh to six months in prison, suspended for two years. The judge emphasized the gravity of Haigh’s misconduct, stating, “You knew what you were doing was wrong but you did it and you did it for sexual gratification, and you were either unable or unwilling to demonstrate the necessary control mechanism to decline from this behaviour.”

In addition to the suspended sentence, Haigh is required to attend the Horizon programme, undergo up to 15 days of rehabilitation, and adhere to a 28-day curfew from 8 pm to 6 am. He is also mandated to register as a sex offender for seven years and is subject to a sexual harm prevention order, reflecting the serious nature of his offences and the ongoing risk he poses.