A former paedophile hunter who took part in an angry demonstration in Angus has decried his former gangmates as nothing more than “a bunch of thugs looking for mob justice.”
Disillusioned Marcin Kuciak has put his paedophile hunting days behind him after chaotic scenes outside a Forfar pervert’s home in August 2018.
The 40-year-old was part of Wolf Pack Hunters UK, a group of online vigilantes who descended on the town’s Halkerton Road to confront resident William Rennie.
Mr Rennie had sent explicit images and messages to members of the group, believing they were schoolgirls as young as 12.
Police were scrambled to defuse the situation, which was broadcast live on social media, and several Wolf Pack members were arrested.
Kuciak, from Edinburgh, was the last of four people associated with the disturbance to be sentenced.
Edinburgh assault
In 2019, he admitted his role in an assault on an online troll in Edinburgh who had been sending the group messages for two years.
The attack on Stewart McInroy – for who there was no evidence of any child abuse activities – was broadcast on the Wolf Pack’s Facebook page.
Kuciak admitted detaining McInroy against his will, while others assaulted him at Edinburgh bus station in September 2018.
Disassociated
Forfar Sheriff Court heard on Thursday Kuciak is no longer involved with the Wolf Pack.
Solicitor Paul Dunne said: “He has completely disassociated himself with this group.
“He now sees them for what they are – a bunch of thugs looking for mob justice.”
The court heard Kuciak has been out of trouble for three years, and is now working to complete a 180-hour community service order handed to him at Edinburgh Sheriff Court for the assault on McInroy.
Sheriff Derek Reekie told Kuciak he welcomed the “positive steps” taken to move away from the group.
“I know about this case and I am encouraged to hear you are no longer involved in this kind of activity,” he said.
Having previously pled guilty to a charge of breach of the peace, Kuciak was sentenced to 60 hours of unpaid work.
Broadcast
Ringleader Gordon Buchan was ordered to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work for his role in the incident.
The group travelled from the central belt and other parts of Scotland to Rennie’s home on August 15.
Wearing masks and hoods and holding banners, they shouted and swore as they broadcast proceedings live on Facebook.
Earlier this month, Rennie was placed on the sex offenders’ register after admitting sending messages and images to what he believed were four schoolgirls, aged between 12 and 15 – but were actually Wolf Pack members.
The gathering also sparked a political row, with local Conservative MSP Bill Bowman calling for crunch talks with police chiefs over what he saw as a sudden rise in vigilante operations in the Angus area.
