A paedophile from Elm near Wisbech was caught by two online child activist groups who confronted him at a London rail station. Fougo Humberto called himself Alberto Silva during his online activity, but his real identity was exposed after his arrest.
The one time engineer, now living in Staffordshire, was arrested in April 2021 but has only now appeared in court.
On Thursday (17 October), at Peterborough Crown Court, Humberto, 52, of Moor Street, Burton Upon Trent, Staffordshire, was sentenced to 15 months in prison suspended for two years.
He had pleaded guilty to two counts each of attempting to engage in sexual communications with a child, attempting to cause a child 13 to 15 to watch an image of sexual activity and attempting to cause/incite a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity.
Humberto was challenged about his online conversations – when he thought he was talking to teenage girls – by two groups who use decoys and set out to challenge and then film their conversations with suspected paedophiles.
Souloceptors, which says its aim is to help stop child exploitation, and BMB HUNTERZ, ‘protecting out kids from predators’, confronted Humberto before calling on police and passing on their information.
BMB HUNTERZ posted to their Facebook page: “Well done to 4 of our decoys. And the lads on the ground. Appalling it takes 3 years to get results.”
Humberto thought he was talking to 12 and 13-year-old girls online but was in reality chatting to decoys.
He began speaking to the ‘girls’ who were all decoys from the online child activist groups in April 2021.
The first victim was a ‘12-year-old girl’ who he sent an inappropriate video to and encouraged her to touch herself inappropriately.
To the second victim, a ’13-year-old girl’, Humberto complimented the girl and also sent another pornographic video.
His final victim, who said she was ’12-years-old’, also received a pornographic video.
Humberto was eventually arrested at Bush Hill Park Railway Station, Enfield, London, on 16 April 2021, after being lured there by the online child activist group.
DC Zip Lloyd said: “Although Fougo Humberto didn’t commit any contact offences, he still looked to potentially harm children, so I am glad he has faced justice.
“The effects of child abuse on victims can be incredibly serious and we will always look to help bring the perpetrators to justice.”
For more on child abuse, including how to report it and spot the signs, please visit the dedicated section on the force website.
