'Paedophile hunter' Philip Hoban jailed over racism during Leeds protest

A self-styled paedophile hunter who mocked Muslim prayer and shouted racist slurs at a protest in Leeds has been jailed.

Philip Hoban, one of the founder members of an online group called Predator Exposure UK, was prosecuted for his involvement in demonstrations on The Headrow on 3 August.

The incident happened as far-right protesters clashed with an anti-racism group outside Leeds Art Gallery.

Hoban, 48, was seen making racist gestures to rival protesters.

He admitted racially aggravated threatening behaviour.

At Leeds Crown Court on Thursday, 15 August, footage of Hoban was shown to the Recorder of Leeds, Judge Guy Kearl KC, who described his actions as "designed to stir up hatred."

“You climbed on to a barrier and started rubbing your lips towards a person of colour," he said.

“You were standing alongside, and in the same group as, others who were making similarly racist and insulting gestures, some making monkey noises and gestures.

“You then started to imitate the manner in which Muslim people pray, in order to mock their religion."

He added that what Hoban had done could not be "viewed in isolation" and should be seen against the "background of unrest and disorder in the country."

Following his arrest, Hoban took to his social media to defend his actions. In a series of videos on Tiktok he said: "I am mixed race, my kids are mixed race, my dad is black. It’s got nothing to do with race whatsoever.

"They were throwing banter at us, so we were throwing it back.

"For all the people that say I’m racist, I’m far from it."

Representing himself in court, Hoban, of Northcote Crescent, Beeston, claimed Predator Exposure had helped to convict more than 400 predators.

The group has a significant social media profile, with more than 500,000 followers on Facebook.

They use controversial tactics to trap online groomers before confronting them in encounters which are often streamed live on social media.

Hoban admitted he had behaved like a "stupid drunken idiot" and said he had stepped down from his role with the group because there "is no room for fools like me".

He was sentenced to eight months in prison and a was given a five year Criminal Behaviour Order.

Fellow protester James Gettings was also jailed for eight months for his parts in the incident.

He was part of the same anti-immigration demonstration and video of him mocking Muslim people praying was shown to Judge Guy Kearl KC on Thursday.

Gettings, of Landseer Walk, Bramley, Leeds, admitted causing religiously aggravated harassment, alarm or distress at a previous hearing.

Carmel Pearson, prosecuting, said the defendant told police after he was arrested that he was “disgusted” by his own behaviour, he had been disowned by members of his family and that “three seconds of madness has ruined his life”.

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