15 August 2024 , 15:10
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Phil Hoban, founder of a controversial paedophile hunting group Predator Exposure, made vile racist gestures and yelled "who the f*** is Allah?" at the Leeds event, but told West Yorkshire Police he was asking "who is Allan?"
A self-styled paedophile hunter who once vowed "we’re not here to break windows or be a menace" has been jailed for his part in riots following the horrific Southport killings.
Ex-MMA fighter Phil Hoban was jailed for eight months after shouting, "who the f***" is Allah?" at a protest in Leeds, which he claimed in a police interview was actually "who the f*** is Allen?". He was also seen making as racist gesture at the event on Saturday, August 3, which he told cops was a gesture to "imply [other protesters] were crybabies", as well as mocking the way Muslims pray.
Hoban, 48, from Leeds, was convicted last Thursday of causing racially or religiously-aggravated harassment, alarm or distress through words over disorder in the city centre on Saturday, August 3, with a judge describing him today as "one of the leaders of your group pf protestors". Hoban is a so-called vigilante who founded the Leeds-based group Predator Exposure, five members of which were tried in 2019 with false imprisonment and assault after confronting two men. The members, which included Hoban, were later acquitted at trial.
Phil Hoban (right) was acquitted in 2019 after five members of his group Predator Exposure was charged with false imprisonment
In 2021, he said: "I hate when people call us vigilantes - I genuinely don’t like it. When people say that term, negative thoughts about us come to mind. People think we’re out and about causing problems - breaking windows and being a menace in the society."
In a series of TikToks posted to the Predator Exposure account in the days after the riots, the dad claimed "I’m not racist" and that he grew up in a mixed race area, apologising for any offence he’d caused. "I let a lot of people down, my Asian friends," Hoban said in one grovelling clip. "I shouldn’t have done what I did... I was bang out of order."
"I grew up in an Asian community, my best friend was Rashid." In the video. Hoban said he’d let down the rest of the vigilante group, confirming he’d be stepping back to "sort my head out".
Hoban is one of hundreds facing their day in court over the disgraceful far-right riots and disorder over the Southport attacks, after misinformation was spread falsely claiming the suspect was a Muslim asylum seeker. Hotels housing refugees were attacked, police officers injured and shops looted in the violence, with more than 70 adults now sentenced. More than 370 adults and 65 under-18s have so far been charged.
Hoban, of Beeston, Leeds, was also made the subject of a Criminal Behaviour Order. Also appearing in the dock and sentenced alongside Hoban was James Gettings, who the court heard also made offensive prayer gestures. The court heard he told police this was "praying for his country", dismissed as a "lie" by the judge. He was also jailed for eight months.
Judge Guy Kearl KC Recorder of Leeds said: "The law applies to everyone: No matter what colour, race, religion or political persuasion they are. There is no distinction. The law is colourblind. The law is there to protect everyone in our society, both in terms of their safety and businesses.
Hoban made racist gestures and yelled offensive slurs at the protest in Leeds ( Image: PA)
"Both of you involved yourselves in a protest outside Leeds Art Gallery. You were both members of or joined with a pro-English defence group...Your demonstration was against refugees and those seeking asylum in the United Kingdom.
"Philip Hoban you climbed onto a barrier and started rubbing your lips to a person of colour and were standing alongside or in the same group as people making similar gestures...You then started to imitate the manner in which Muslim people pray in order to mock or mimic their religion and you were chanting, ’Allah, Allah, who the f*** is Allah?’ You were one of the leaders of your group of protesters."
Predator Exposure remains an active group describing itself as a "child protection service" which uses the controversial practice of posing as children online and exposing alleged child sex offenders on camera, sometimes in live Facebook broadcasts. The Mirror approached the group and they declined to comment, but expressed Hoban’s actions were in no way affiliated with their organisation.
In March this year, a 59-year-old man from Lancashire was jailed after he was caught in one of the group’s stings travelling to meet what he thought was a 13-year-old girl for sex.