PEADOPHILE JAILED AFTER PAEDOPHILE HUNTING STING
Update 16/02/2026: A convicted sex offender from Maidstone has been sent back to jail for seven years after he was caught re-offending, six weeks after being released from prison.Lee Webster was caught using a false name and claiming to be 28 years old to send explicit messages and images to who he believed was a 12 year old girl.
He also attempted to arrange to meet for sexual activity.
Following an investigation, the 39 year old was arrested at his home address in Fairmeadow, Maidstone.
Lee Webster was charged with attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child, attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity, attempting to facilitate a child sex offence, breaching a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) and failing to comply with the sex offenders register requirements.
He was sentenced on Tuesday 17 February 2026 at Maidstone Crown Court to seven years in prison with a further five years on licence.
...............................................................................................................................................................................................................
In a significant case that highlights ongoing concerns about online child exploitation, Lee Webster, a man with a troubling criminal history, has been sentenced to prison after being caught in a sting operation conducted by paedophile hunters.
The incident took place in April 2018 at Darent Valley Hospital, located in Dartford, Kent, where Webster was apprehended following a covert operation by an online child protection group.
The operation was streamed live on Facebook, drawing public attention to the dangers of online grooming and the efforts of vigilant citizens to combat such crimes.
Webster, aged 31 and a resident of Gravesend, was arrested outside the hospital premises after he was lured into a trap set by the group known as Shadow Hunters UK.
During the police interview, Webster admitted to attempting to engage with young girls online, with charges including five counts of trying to cause a girl to engage in sexual activity and two counts of attempting to cause a girl to watch a sexual act.
The offences spanned from January 14 to April 3 of the same year.
Despite his arrest and the ongoing investigation, Webster resumed his offending behaviour less than a month later.
He was reportedly involved with another paedophile group, exposing the persistent nature of his criminal tendencies.
His activities came to light when he attended a mental health appointment at Darent Valley Hospital, where he was again approached by members of Shadow Hunters UK.
During police interviews, Webster expressed remorse, stating, “I know I did what you say.
I am really sorry.
I feel I need help with my mental health.” Webster’s criminal record is extensive, with 20 previous convictions for 42 offences, including indecent exposure and arson with intent to endanger life.
Notably, he was sentenced in June 2013 to five years in prison for manslaughter and perverting the course of justice.
The manslaughter charge stemmed from his involvement in the death of Jason Wood, aged 30, in October 2012, in Ramsgate.
Webster had slipped 26 antidepressant tablets into Mr.
Wood’s beer during a heavy drinking session at his flat in Camden Square, an act he claimed was “for a joke.” Mr Wood died within approximately three hours of ingesting the pills, which, combined with alcohol and his sleep apnoea, likely caused his death.
Webster received a four-and-a-half-year sentence for manslaughter and an additional six months for destroying evidence related to the case.
His release from prison was in November of the previous year, after serving his sentence, but he was found living rough in Dartford, indicating ongoing struggles.
During the sentencing hearing at Maidstone Crown Court, Recorder Mark Weekes described Webster’s actions as highly dangerous and indicative of a significant propensity to offend further.
The court heard that Webster believed he was communicating with girls under 16, with one girl claiming she was 14 and that Webster was 31 from Dartford.
He had asked her out for a meal and attempted to arrange a meeting at Dartford railway station, encouraging her to view pornography and even sending explicit images of himself.
Webster’s interactions with the fake profiles created by the online groups revealed a disturbing pattern of predatory behaviour.
The court was told that he encouraged some of the “personas” to touch themselves and sent explicit images, further demonstrating his dangerous inclinations.
The judge emphasized that Webster’s actions represented an escalation in seriousness and that he posed a significant risk of reoffending.
As a result of his convictions, Webster will be placed on the sex offenders’ register indefinitely.
Additionally, a sexual harm prevention order was issued, barring him from working with children or vulnerable adults.
The court’s decision underscores the severity of his crimes and the ongoing threat he poses to the community in Dartford, Gravesend, and beyond.
