A pervert who tried to groom a 13-year-old girl online has been jailed after he was caught in a sting by vigilante ‘paedophile hunters’ who told him: ‘You like being tied up? Well you’re tied up now!’
Gareth Holliday, 37, offered to be the child’s ‘sex friend’ and claimed he enjoyed being bound, penetrated with sex toys and having his private parts electrocuted with a cattle prod, a court heard.
But when he tried to arrange a meeting outside a Superdrug store in Rochdale, Greater Manchester in August 2020, he was confronted by ‘hunters’ from a parent group called the Elusive Child Protection Unit.
Blackburn resident Holliday, after shaking uncontrollably, lit up a cigarette and was seen by 134,000 others before being led off by police amid an angry crowd.
One of the group told him: ‘Some of the chats you wrote are the worst I have ever read. Our decoys have had to tolerate your chats for several weeks and you are probably the most explicit, perverted sadistic dirty rotten f***ing b*****ds that I have stood in front of.’
Minshull Street Crown Court Manchester provided details. Holliday was sentenced to 32 months for attempted sexual communications and trying to meet with a minor after admitting to grooming and inciting a child to sexual activity.

Father-of-one Gareth Holliday, 37, offered to be a ‘sex friend’ and claimed he enjoyed being bound, penetrated with sex toys and even having his private parts electrocuted with a cattle prod, a court heard


In a livestreamed video watched by 134,000 people, Holliday, from Blackburn, shook uncontrollably and puffed on a cigarette as one of the group told him: ‘Some of the chats you wrote are the worst I have ever read’
Holliday was also required to register as a Sex Offender for life, and agree to abide by the Sexual Harm Prevention Order.
The court heard Holliday contacted the ‘paedophile hunter’ in August 2020 via the Hi5 chat app after she set up a bogus profile in the name of Maddison on various social media platforms.
During the illicit exchanges, Holliday sent the ‘hunter’ a step-by-step guide on ways to pleasure oneself then suggested they both delete their messages, adding: ‘I’ll get locked up if the police find out because you’re 13.’
At the scene of the sting, one of the parents told the 37-year-old: ‘The things you’ve said to what you thought was a 13-year-old was (sic) sickening.
‘Our team have seen a lot of perverts and a lot of weirdos but you are the worst I’ve seen. How would you feel if this was sent to your child?
‘You are massive danger to young children. You’re a proper sausage. You like being tied up – well you’re f***ing tied up now! Have a cigarette – it might be your last one tonight.’
Holliday was seen wearing a jumper and a badge which resembles RNLI’s logo. You can buy it online. He isn’t believed to be a volunteer.
Sentencing, Judge Elliot Knopf told the pervert: ‘This was an intensive level of communication between you and the person who was a decoy.

Minshull Street Crown Court in Manchester revealed details. Holliday was sentenced to 32 months imprisonment after admitting to having attempted to have sexual communication with a minor, grooming and trying to induce a minor to sexual activity.
‘You believed when she told you she was 13 that she was 13. your communication with that person developed very quickly into communications relating to sexual activity.
‘You then arranged to meet with her at a location with the purpose of having sex with the girl in your car.
‘You led her to believe that she, having expressed concern about pregnancy, you would bring condoms with you but none were found when you were searched. There was little doubt that this meeting had a purpose.
‘This was a situation where you were astute enough to groom this girl. It was an act of shrewdness to inform her to clear out all messages and suggest that she do the same. Your awareness and intelligence are a significant factor.
‘These are issues that are all too common in our society nowadays. The courts will punish those who engage in such activities. It will not be tolerated at all.’
A woman who posed as the girl told Holliday in a statement: ‘You are vile, you are disgusting. What dare you do to ruin the innocence of a child?
‘What gives you the right to exploit, abuse and violate children. You’re the dirtiest thing on the planet and made me feel sick.

When he tried to arrange a meeting outside a Superdrug store in Rochdale, Greater Manchester in August 2020, he was confronted by ‘hunters’ from a parent group called the Elusive Child Protection Unit
‘You are a vile excuse for a human being, You’re evil. I am just thankful it was me and not a child who had to put up with you.’
Prosecutor Anna Bond told the court: ‘This defendant asked if she wanted to be her sex friend. He said: “I can come over anytime you like” and he said he would wear a condom. After giving her his number, the defendant moved on to WhatsApp.
‘Over a 16-day period the defendant sent explicit photos of himself and made plans to have sex with her.
‘On August 18, he arranged to meet her at a shopping centre and on August 20, the defendant went to the meeting point at 9.15pm and was met by the adult decoy.
‘He was arrested and interviewed and said he had been speaking to Maddison and he agreed he knew she was 13.
‘He said he struggled with what to talk about on the messages, so they spoke about sexual stuff. He stated that he liked bondage, BDSM and hardcore pornography, as well as sex toys.
‘He admitted he encouraged her to carry out sex acts as he pleasured himself. Maddison denied that he had traveled one hour from Blackburn, England to have sex. No sexual activity did in fact occur.’
Holiday has never been convicted of anything. His counsel Mark Friend said: ‘His IQ is assessed as being 72. He was among 97% who had a lower IQ, according to the samples.
‘He has learning difficulties and is a vulnerable individual. His partner who is also someone with learning difficulties has been in a relationship with him for some time.’