A vulnerable pensioner wrongly accused by paedophile hunters was so afraid for his safety that he tried to rob a shop so he would be put in jail. James Taylor, 70, endured 18 months of harassment before a mob baying for blood turned up at his home, forcing him to leave the town where he had lived virtually all of his life.
False Allegations and Harassment
Vigilantes claimed that Taylor had been convicted of sexually assaulting a baby and possessing child abuse images. His lawyer told a court the allegations were entirely unfounded. But the harassment continued, culminating in a crowd gathering at his home. Taylor called his lawyer during the incident, who described the live feed as harrowing, with police arriving with dogs to control the mob.
Desperate Act to Seek Safety
Airdrie Sheriff Court heard that before being rehoused, Taylor threatened shop staff with a butter knife, saying: I don't want to hurt anyone. I did it so I'll get jailed. I don't want to live in Cumbernauld. I don't feel safe in my home. I can't get help. I've asked everyone. I'd feel safer in jail. Taylor admitted assault and attempted robbery at CeX in Cumbernauld, Lanarkshire, on July 29 last year.
Prosecutor Katie Allen said Taylor was a regular customer at the computer games shop. Two members of staff were working when he entered, took a butter knife from his jacket and pointed it at one of them. He said I'm serious. Give me money from the till. He was asked to leave but refused, and the assistants moved behind a glass partition before calling security. A security team member took the knife and police were contacted.
Vulnerability and Mitigation
Defence lawyer Caroline McGrath described Taylor as exceptionally vulnerable, with learning difficulties and struggling since his wife's death years ago. She said harassment from the Awareness Protection group led to his robbery attempt as a cry for help. The group, which describes itself as a child protection service, has 36,000 Facebook followers. McGrath had tried to tell them they had the wrong person, but the campaign continued.
Sheriff Joseph Hughes told Taylor the powerful mitigation persuaded him not to impose a jail sentence. He said shop workers are entitled to work without being threatened with a knife, but it wasn't appropriate to send him to prison. Taylor was placed under social work supervision for two years and faces a 7pm-7am curfew under a six-month electronic tagging order. He was supported in court by an advocacy worker.
