STEVENAGE MAN CONVICTED AFTER ATTACKING PAEDOPHILE HUNTER AND GROOMING MINORS
A kitchen porter has been found guilty of grooming and wounding with intent after biting the tip off a paedophile hunter’s finger at Stevenage railway station while on his way to have sex with what he thought was a 14-year-old girl.The trial at St Albans Crown Court heard that Thomas De-Castle-Lynne, of Parsons Green in London, was caught in a sting by a group called Catching Online Predators.
The 46-year-old arrived at Stevenage station on April 8 thinking he was going to meet a 14-year-old girl for sex in the woods, but was then surrounded by the vigilantes.
During a struggle, he ended up on the ground with one of the group, Stephen Little, and clamped onto his finger with his teeth, causing excruciating pain.
Mr Little recounted: “All I can remember is that, as we restrained him, we took him to the floor.
He clamped onto my finger with his teeth.
I remember excruciating pain.
I called for him to let go.
I noticed blood coming out of his mouth – it was my blood and he just wouldn’t let go.
He was lying on the floor and there were two others with me.
I had my knee on his right shoulder.
I was screaming at him to let go of my finger.” After his finger was released, Mr Little noticed the whole finger appeared white, with no blood in it.
He was taken to hospital where the tip of his left little finger was amputated.
The court heard that De-Castle-Lynne had made contact with what he thought was a 14-year-old girl in a Facebook sting set up by Catching Online Predators, making sexual references and arranging to meet for sex.
He asked questions about her age and virginity, and discussed sexual acts, including asking her to remove her bra and panties.
He was also engaging in conversations with other decoy girls, including asking for photos and discussing meeting for sex.
De-Castle-Lynne denied interest in young girls, claiming he was just teasing and winding them up.
The jury found him guilty of attempting to meet a child under 16 following grooming, causing grievous bodily harm with intent, and common assault, but cleared him of assault by beating.
During the trial, he also changed his plea to guilty of causing racially aggravated harm or distress after using a racial slur.
He was remanded in custody to be sentenced on November 29.
