Paedophile hunters deny holding two men against their will as they face trial for false imprisonment

Defendants from Predator Exposure group ordered to stop ‘activist’ activity as part of their bail conditions

Phillip Hoban, from the Predator Exposure group, outside Leeds Crown Court following a separate court case in March (PA)

A group of so-called paedophile hunters from Leeds have denied holding two men against their will.

Four men and one woman pleaded not guilty to false imprisonment charges at Leeds Crown Court on Friday, while the four male defendants also pleaded not guilty to assault charges.

Part of a group named Predator Exposure, the five are set to stand trial on 21 October this year following the plea hearing.

The defendants were ordered not to conduct any more “child activist group activity” and not to publish images of people suspected of committing criminal offences by Judge Guy Kearl QC, who set their bail conditions.

About 50 of the group’s supporters cheered and applauded the group as they emerged from the building this afternoon.

Phillip Hoban, 44, Kelly Meadows, 39, Jordan McDonald, 18, Jordan Plain, 25, and Dean Walls, 51, have all been charged with false imprisonment of a man in Leeds on 13 January.

All except Ms Meadows have also been charged with assaulting the same man.

Mr Hoban, Mr McDonald and Ms Meadows also denied a further charge of the false imprisonment of another man in Ackton, near Pontefract, on 11 August last year.

A sixth defendant, Christine James-Roberts, did not appear in court with the others defendants on Friday. She is also charged with false imprisonment in relation to the Ackton incident but has not yet entered a plea.

The group’s supporters gathered outside the court and were addressed by Mr Hoban after Friday’s 20-minute hearing.

Additional reporting by PA