Four men received multi-year prison sentences for violent assaults in northern Sweden. A fifth defendant received youth service hours due to being a minor during the crimes.
The group operated as part of Pedo Hunting Sweden, a network that targets individuals they suspect of pedophilia. Court documents reveal these confrontations are called "steps" within the organization.
In one incident during spring 2024, the men posed as a young teenager on a dating app. They arranged to meet a man they believed was a pedophile at a travel center in Örnsköldsvik. There they severely beat him while recording the assault.
Prosecutor Ida Annerstedt said the evidence was strong. "Phone analysis proved crucial for the assault case at the travel center. They filmed the attack themselves," she stated in court documents.
The court determined Pedo Hunting Sweden constitutes a criminal network. Their violent confrontations qualify as serious crimes rather than citizen activism.
One of the group's leaders faced additional charges. Investigators found child pornography in his phone containing videos of children showering at a local school. He worked as a handyman at the school when the recordings were made.
This defendant received three years and three months in prison for all charges. These included child pornography, two counts of serious assault, invasive photography, and sabotage against emergency services.
Vigilante justice remains illegal in Sweden despite public frustration with child exploitation crimes. The sentences demonstrate that taking law enforcement into private hands carries serious consequences.