Matthew Jack, formerly known as Huckle, of Leam Lane in Gateshead, has a history of sexual offences against children. In 2017, he received a suspended prison sentence for sexual activity with a child. Just a year later, in 2018, he was imprisoned for attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity and for breaching his sexual harm prevention order, after being snared by online paedophile hunters while on his suspended sentence.
Released from prison in June of the previous year, Jack was recalled to custody in September but released again earlier in 2020. Tragically, he quickly reverted to his predatory behaviour. Within weeks of his release, Jack began engaging in sexualised conversations on the Whisper app with a profile he believed belonged to a 15-year-old girl named Amy. Unbeknownst to him, the profile was operated by an adult male from the vigilante group Dark Justice, who pose as children online to expose individuals seeking sexual contact with minors.
The court heard that Jack initiated contact with the newly created Amy profile and swiftly moved the conversation to Snapchat, where messages disappear after a short time, suggesting an intent to evade detection. He flattered the decoy, commenting that he had no issue with her having braces, and arranged to meet her at Gateshead Stadium. During their exchanges, Jack groomed the profile with persuasion and explicit suggestions, advising her on what to wear, including a short skirt without underwear, and discussing intimate details.
On the day of the arranged meeting, Jack arrived at the location but was confronted by members of Dark Justice. In a panic, he attempted to flee, smashing his phone and swinging at one of the vigilantes, though he missed. He was subsequently arrested by police. In his police interview, Jack admitted to the communications but claimed they were due to intoxication and loneliness, insisting the meeting was merely for company and denying any premeditated intent. He also denied deliberately damaging his phone, attributing it to anger after dropping it while running.
At Newcastle Crown Court, Judge Penny Moreland addressed Jack directly, stating: "You contacted a decoy profile set up in the name of a 15-year-old girl. You indulged in sexualised conversation with a person you believed to be 15. You groomed that person by means of flattery and persuasion." Jack, who had changed his name by deed poll and relocated due to threats stemming from his prior convictions, pleaded guilty to attempting to meet a child following sexual grooming and attempting to breach his sexual harm prevention order.
His defence, represented by Alec Burns, highlighted Jack's isolation, noting he spent all day alone and had faced serious threats that forced him to move. Despite this, the judge imposed a custodial sentence of 20 months. This case, reported by Chronicle Live on 6 August 2020, underscores the persistent risk posed by repeat offenders and the role of groups like Dark Justice in apprehending them, leading to formal police action by Northumbria Police.