Peter Atwood

Peter Atwood, a 39-year-old man from Blackpool, Lancashire, was exposed as a paedophile after being caught in an online sting operation conducted by the Fleetwood Enforcers UK paedophile hunting group. Between May 25 and October 25, 2025, Atwood initiated and participated in sexually explicit conversations with a decoy profile pretending to be 'Poppy', a 10-year-old girl. The interactions escalated to Atwood attempting to incite the decoy to engage in sexual activities, demonstrating his predatory intentions towards minors.

Further communications occurred between October 11 and October 25, 2025, with another decoy posing as 'Lily', aged 14. Atwood's messages were described in court as 'sick chats', revealing his attempts at sexual communication with what he believed were underage girls. The Fleetwood Enforcers, a vigilante group dedicated to exposing online predators, confronted Atwood at his home on Lindsay Avenue in Blackpool on November 5, 2025. Approximately 50 protesters, including neighbours, gathered outside, chanting 'Paedo Pete, get off our street' and holding placards with messages like 'Keep Our Kids Safe'. The demonstration highlighted community outrage over such offences.

Following the confrontation, Atwood voluntarily left the area in the back of a police van. He appeared at Preston Crown Court, where he pleaded guilty to two counts: attempted sexual communication with a child and attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity. Judge Paul Hodgkinson ordered a presentence report to assess Atwood's circumstances. Sentencing was scheduled for March 13, 2026, at the same court. Lancashire Police were involved in the subsequent investigation and arrest, underscoring the role of law enforcement in handling cases exposed by such groups.

The case, reported by LancsLive on December 5, 2025, serves as a stark reminder of the dangers of online grooming and the efforts of both community groups and authorities to protect children from sexual exploitation. Atwood's actions were confined to online interactions, but they constituted serious attempts at child sexual offences under UK law.