The President of the Hampshire Law Society has been removed from his role after he was targeted in a child predator sting.
He is also no longer employed by Southampton firm Trethowans, where he was a senior associate.
In the video of the sting, broadcast live on Facebook on 2 August and obtained by RollOnFriday, a vigilante who gives his name as ‘Michael’ confronts Mitchell at his home address.
Answering the door in his boxer shorts, (Tom) Mitchell converses calmy with ‘Michael’ for almost half an hour before the police arrive to question him.
Michael explains to Mitchell that earlier that day Mitchell photographed himself wearing a superhero t-shirt in Trethowans’ office and texted it to a decoy he believed was a 14-year-old girl.
The vigilantes were waiting for Mitchell in Trethowans’ car park and followed him home when he left the office, says Michael.
“He thought he was being clever by using various aliases, but last night, the smug look was wiped off his face when Michael and our lads rocked up at the door to intercept him”, said one of the groups in a Facebook post.
In the video, Mitchell admits to Michael that he has been talking to several girls, “three or four maybe”, on WhatsApp. Asked whether he remembers a 14-year-old he told he “fancied” and “basically said you would have sex with”, Mitchell answers, “I think so”.
The vigilante puts it to Mitchell that he falsely told the girl he was called James and lived in London. He is also confronted with his chat history, which included allegedly talking about sex with a decoy. When she asked if it would hurt, Mitchell allegedly replied in a message that “it might hurt a little at first but it would soon go away”.
In the footage he accepts that talking that way to a 14-year old is inappropriate, as is calling her “sexy” and “beautiful”. Asked why he did it, Mitchell murmurs, “It’s wrong”.
However, the 48-year-old also defended himself. Pressed on why he was engaging with “kids”, he replies “it’s just chatting”, and states that he was talking to “a few” females, not just children. He also states that he had never met with any of the people he was chatting with, and denies having a sexual interest in children.
Just before the police arrive, Mitchell is asked what his wife is going to say when she gets home. “I can only imagine”, he replies.
Trethowans initially ignored ROF’s enquiry, perhaps because it didn’t want to acknowledge that Mitchell was allegedly sending photos from the office and its carpark was being staked out by vigilantes.
When pressed, senior partner Chris Whiteley responded curtly that Mitchell “is not employed by Trethowans” and that “it would be inappropriate for anyone to provide a statement for publication”.
A spokesperson for Hampshire Law Society confirmed Mitchell had been removed from his position. “Upon receiving information regarding alleged inappropriate behaviour by Tom Mitchell action was taken to preserve HILS’ integrity and reputation”, they said.
Mitchell was not contactable. Here’s an edited version of the video (warning: it’s pretty depressing):
