THIS is the moment a pervert, who thought he was meeting a 12-year-old girl for sex, begs for mercy after being confronted by paedophile hunters.

Praju Prasad, 24, falls to his knees when faced with members of Guardians of the North, before pleading with them to leave him alone.

9 Pervert Praju Prasad begs for mercy after he's confronted by paedophile vigilante group

9 Prasad pleads with Guardians of the North members to leave him alone Credit: North News and Pictures

9 Prasad falls to his knees after vigilante group greet him with the words: 'You are here to meet a 12-year-old girl for sex' Credit: North News and Pictures

9 Prasad was confronted at North Shields Metro Station where he thought he was meeting a 12-year-old girl Credit: North News and Pictures

The police were called and Prasad was arrested and charged with attempting to meet a girl under the age of 16 after grooming.

At Newcastle Crown Court this week Prasad of North Shields, Tyne and Wear, was handed a nine-month prison sentence suspended for 18 months and a £140 fine after previously pleading guilty.

He was also ordered to sign the sex offenders register for five years.

According to Guardians of the North Prasad had originally attempted to book a hotel for himself and what he thought was a twelve-year-old girl, but when he was told none of them would accommodate a man and a child he instead arranged a meeting at North Shields Metro Station.

There he was met by members of the group who filmed themselves confronting him with the words: "You are here to meet a 12-year-old girl for sex."

Prasad then repeatedly begs for mercy as he kneels on the floor and grabs the legs of a group member.

9 Prasad is led away by a cop after being snared by vigilante group Credit: North News and Pictures

9 Prasad swapped a series of messages with what he believed was a twelve-year-old girl, but was in fact a group of paedophile hunters Credit: North News and Pictures

He says: "Please, leave me alone. Please, I beg you. Please, I beg you."

Speaking after the case a member of Guardians of the North said: "This highlights the important work that we do.

"If this man hadn't been caught by us then he could well have gone on to abuse an actual child.

"We are not happy with the sentence. We believe that judges need to be tougher as this kind of offending needs to be stamped out before more serious crimes are committed."

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Guardians of the North, set up just over a year ago, pose as teen girls and boys online to snare men looking to meet youngsters for sex.

They have so far apprehended 117 potential paedophiles and seen around 30 convicted.

Their work came into jeopardy in April when legal teams acting for two men allegedly snared by similar group Dark Justice, claimed prosecutions using evidence gathered in such a way "diminished the integrity of the court process".

But a judge ruled in favour of the paedophile hunters and they were told they would be allowed to carry on with their work.

9 In a message Prasad told of his intention to book a hotel room for himself and 'girl' Credit: North News and Pictures

9 Prasad exchanged a series of messages before heading to train station where he was confronted by paedophile hunters Credit: North News and Pictures

9 In one message Prasad is told 'girl' is just 12 but he carries on with the exchange regardless Credit: North News and Pictures

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