A PAEDOPHILE hunter group snared a suspected sex offender during a sting in Southend High Street. 

Broken Dreams, a voluntary online child protection team, confronted a man near to WH Smith’s in the Southend High Street and streamed the sting on Facebook.

The livestream showed the group quizzing and speaking to the man before he was later shown being arrested by Essex Police.

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The group questioned him and made claims that he had been talking to an alleged 12-year-old girl online as well as sending her “graphic material”.

At the end of the video, police are seen showing up and arresting the man in question.

A spokesman for Essex Police said: "We were called to London Road, Southend, on Tuesday, April 25, where we arrested a 31-year-old man on suspicion of sexual activity involving a child.

"He has been released on bail until 14 July."

The video has since been viewed thousands of times, with dozens of shares too.

In the video, the group claimed, the man was told she was 12, but he allegedly continued to talk to her in a “disgusting manner”, while “sending photos and video”.

Martin Terry, councillor responsible for public protection, has urged parents to ensure their children are safe and protected online by taking the necessary precautions, and to raise any concerns with the police.

He said: “It is a concern. It is good that the individual has been apprehended.

“Parents must be really vigilant about what their children are up to, especially on their phones as these people can reach out to vulnerable people in all sorts of ways.

“They are very clever, so parents need to be aware and vigilant on both their children’s computers and phones.”