Dark Justice (group)

Dark Justice (founded on 30 October 2014)^[1] is a two-man operation based in Newcastle upon Tyne.^[2] They are an online group who pose as children normally between the ages of 11 and 15 to catch online child groomers. When they meet a child groomer in real life (after a meeting is arranged), members of Dark Justice wear bulletproof vests.^[3][4] Their evidence has been used in court and has successfully secured the prosecution of over 70 online groomers including Roger Lee,^[5] and Barry Scott.^[6] In May 2018, the Evening Chronicle reported that Dark Justice have secured over 150 arrests with over 40 of those being jailed.^[7]

Dark Justice is run by two men, both of whom are from Byker^[8] and use aliases in the form of Scott (born 1991) and Callum (born 1994). Callum, originally from Darlington, used to have a flat in Byker Wall, and it was here where the Dark Justice operation started.

The two men met each other through Scott's brother. Prior to starting Dark Justice, both men worked in the digital media industry.^[9]

During 2017, an anonymous businessman gave Dark Justice an office in Newcastle to serve as the group's new base of operations.^{[10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19]}

Dark Justice do not get paid for their work, and instead receive support from their families and use money that they have in savings and from donations to their website to fund their work.^[20]

In mid 2017, Dark Justice won a landmark high court judgment to continue their work, and Sir Brian Frederick James Langstaff, styled The Hon. Mr Langstaff^[21] concluded that the members of Dark Justice had "acted as private citizens throughout".^[22] Of the outcome, Dark Justice said "It could have been terrible but we are thrilled the judge has sided with us".^[23]

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