Paedophile hunters call Kieran Creaven's sentence a 'slap on the wrist' saying 'it should have been life'
The woman who set up the fake teenage girl's Facebook profile which snared paedophile Keiran Creaven said she thought his 18-month jail sentence was a "slap on the wrist".
The care worker - who said she is called Christine - is part of the controversial Leeds-based paedophile hunting group Predator Exposure.
Christine wiped away tears outside Leeds Crown Court as she recalled the messages Creaven sent to her last year.
She said: "It was hard, especially when he's sending indecent images. You think of your own children. I've got a young daughter myself.
"Sending an indecent image, it's disgusting. Then hearing in court that he's watched child pornography of an eight-year-old. It's even worse - just upsetting."
Christine said: "I think he should have got more. I think 18 months is a slap on the wrist, really."
Predator Exposure spokesman "Phil" said: "This man will be spending tonight in jail which makes our work appreciated. So we are happy in a way, but it should have been life."
He said: "The police can take no credit for this today. We caught this man today. They're under-resourced and can't cope with things like this.
"This is why teams like us are having to go out there and deal with this ourselves."
Phil said: "The police say it should be left to them. Let the police get off their arses and let them sort it out now."
He said the group would continue even if the law was tightened on paedophile hunting groups.
Phil said: "Nothing can stop Predator Exposure".
Last year, senior police officers in England warned that vigilante groups could put child abuse investigations at risk.
Detective Superintendent Steven Woollett of the Kent and Essex serious crime directorate said in August that offenders might become more evasive as a result of groups' actions.
"My personal view is, as much as they may be well intended, there is the potential to hinder police investigations," he said.
"My message to them would be we are professional law enforcement - leave it to the professionals."
His message was echoed by the UK's National Police Chiefs Council lead for child protection, Chief Constable Simon Bailey, who said police are arresting more than 400 offenders and protecting more than 500 children every month.
He said: "Don't try to take it into your own hands, you could undermine police investigations, creating more risk for the children we all want to protect."
