Vincent Vella, a 30-year-old man who was rumbled by ‘paedophile hunters’ after attempting to meet who he thought were underage girls, has avoided being sent to prison.
Vella, now of Church Road in Wootton, appeared at the Isle of Wight Crown Court for sentencing this morning (Tuesday) charged with 2x adult attempt to meet a girl under 16 years of age following grooming. He previously indicated guilty pleas at the Isle of Wight Magistrates Court on 19th September.
Prosecuting, Simon Foster, told the court that between 13th November and 27th November last year, Vella engaged in lengthy communications of a sexual nature with 2 separate ‘children’ aged 13 and 14 respectively. Vella was unaware of the fact he was actually talking to a decoy account designed to catch those attempting to talk sexually with children.
Lengthy message threads exchanged on both WhatsApp and Mingle in those 14 days were read aloud in court detailing how the conversation between Vella and the ‘youngsters’ would begin with general conversational topics, such as school and football, before moving onto themes of a sexual nature.
These included conversations about both anal and oral intercourse. Some of the conversations were too graphic to read aloud, described as ‘stomach-churning’ and ‘graphical descriptions’ of sexual acts.
Despite being told the age of the girls he was talking to on several occasions, Vella continued to message them, often urging the girls to keep quiet about their chats and not to tell their mothers what was going on. Vella encouraged them to come over to the Island and mentioned how they could find a private place in a shed or wooded area.
Despite having arranged to meet 1 of the girls on the Island on 26th November 2022, neither Vella nor the decoy showed. Instead, a day later on 27th November, the sting group visited Vella at his home address, confronting him on his doorstep and capturing it all on camera. Police were called and the 30-year-old was arrested.
Defending, Holly Fagan said that her client was a man of previously good character and was someone who appeared younger than his 30 years of age.
With the help of a probationary report, it was discovered that Vella was subject to significant abuse during his childhood which included being beaten to point of unconsciousness and having cigarette butts stubbed on his skin, all of which had a detrimental impact on him.
Ms Fagan added that Vella – who works 5 evenings a week as a cleaner – had admitted that he knew he shouldn’t have been talking to children in that way and that he was willing to do whatever it took to avoid a repeat of the events of November 2022.
His Honour Judge Melville KC said that Vincent Vella ‘fell into a trap’ and that he should be ‘thoroughly ashamed of the disgraceful communications’ with the decoy accounts, noting that Vella would ask the girls not to tell their parents so he could have his ‘wicked way with them’, without detection.
Judge Melville deemed there was a good chance that Vella could be rehabilitated with the help of the relevant services and, as a result, handed him a 2-year community order with 60 rehabilitation activity days and 150 hours of unpaid work attached.
The 30-year-old, who was supported in court by his mother, was also made subject to a 5-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO).
Holly Fagan said that her client was a man of previously good character and was someone who appeared younger than his 30 years of age.
What so that makes it ok for him to meet up with girls under 16 because he doesn’t look 30.
60 days rehabilitation??? Really?? And I guess the taxpayers pay for this. These people should have there Rodger’s cut off. It’ll be a cheap service and you will never have to worry about them grooming another child. This government and top civil servants are a disgrace!!!
Couple of house bricks will do the job.
Another broken-brained lowlife gets to continue walking the streets and prowling the internet
I’ve watched HUNDREDS of online predator hunters vids over the years (They almost ALWAYS find a way to get back online (and sometimes get caught again!))
*Activate sarcasm mode*
Well done the English legal system on yet another job well done
*Deactivate sarcasm mode*
I’m absolutely disgusted with everyone! from the predator, to the lawyers, and to the judges (that regularly let them loose on our kids and grandkids time and time again!)
If the conervatives had provided more space in jails this scum would have been in prison.
Why, after 50+ years of lies do people still think that the conservatives will ever do what they say they will. Whenever the conservatives get into power crime goes up. Whenever labour get in, poverty goes up. They both do the opposite of what they stand for. We have two options, stick our head in the sand or go on the rampage and copy what the French did 100’s of years ago.
Nonces don’t need prison. They need to be destroyed. It doesn’t matter how it’s done, just take the shit out, THEN there is a guarantee that our kids are safe from that nonce. Not the do gooder’s idea of letting the scum still walk the streets carrying on doing exactly the same thing, that is aiding and abetting him to continue, is it not?
I am so tired of reading scum like him getting let off! Hopefully his picture being shown will now let everyone know what a disgusting thing he is and he deserves to be locked away.
Who thinks this nasty bloke looks like Peter sutcliffe the Yorkshire ripper !
Bet he hadn’t asked for help, for his troubled past before he got arrested.
A long stint in the Army would sort him out. Vile creature playing the poor little me card no sympathy here I’m afraid.
You don’t give military training and tactics to child predators.
Use them for target practise sure, but train them no.
Outrageous sentence. These people can never be cured! Would a judge be so soft on him if it was their daughters/granddaughters groomed?! Should be ashamed of themselves.
See this bloke other day and he crossed road and ran
good, then his bedroom at his mums house will become a prison for him, as he will be too scared to go out, for fear of being beaten senseless
Thats good then good to know justice works in this country well done to all..
I don’t believe for one moment that this was the first time he’d been doing this online. He’s most likely been at it for years. Now he’s free to walk our streets when he should be locked away to protect all children. What on Earth are our courts doing? Jailing shoplifters and letting this lowlife walk out of court. As for his mother supporting him, she needs a reality check. Once a nonce, always a nonce.
Justice system seems to let EVERYONE down, zero protection sadly
The Isle of Nonce grows ever bigger …joke of a sentence, hang them all
I don’t understand!? This bloke had been found guilty of grooming and potentially raping or hurting very young girls!! He nearly went through with it! Why do I feel like they almost feel sorry for him? He’s a dangerous man and he’s been let loose!?
What’s going on, this island is heaving with pedophiles and something has to be done about it. They never change their spots
Men who are sexually attracted to children cannot be “cured” or “rehabilitated,” any more than an adult male heterosexual can be “cured” of his attraction to women.
What happened in his past has no bearing on his actions today ,why cannot these leaches be castrated ,it would stop their lecherous antics and deter the likes of others offending surly .
Pervert. Better watch your back now Mr! I’m sure there are people out there who know who you are.