A CONTROVERSIAL Southampton 'paedophile hunter' has had his YouTube account deleted.

Stephen Dure who runs TRAP, a group which uses sting operations against those allegedly trying to meet up with underage children, has had his own account taken down by the video sharing website.

According to a post on the group's Facebook page, the channel has been deleted as it doesn't meet the "community standards".

A post on the TRAP Facebook page said: "YouTube have decided to delete Stevie's account.

"They say his work doesn't meet their community standards.

"To say he is not happy is an understatement."

A message on the YouTube channel reads: "This account has been terminated due to multiple or severe violations of YouTube's policy prohibiting content designed to harass, bully or threaten."

Talking to the Daily Echo, the Lordshill resident, who claimed he would appeal the decision, said: "At first I was annoyed but being angry won't help with what I'm doing.

"I'm annoyed but there's no point letting it get to me.

"It definitely wasn't the right choice to delete it in my opinion."

The Daily Echo has approached YouTube for a comment.

As previously reported, Mr Dure was jailed for 15 weeks in September, after falsely accusing an Eastleigh man of grooming teenagers.

He pleaded guilty halfway through his trial, and was also ordered to pay £650 costs for the trial.

An inquest last year heard that a man who was due to get married took his own life after being confronted by the group.

David Baker, 43, was arrested in October 2017 and was confronted by TRAP in the Sainsbury's car park in Portswood.

He was kept in custody overnight and released under investigation the following day.

Winchester Coroner's Court heard that two days after Mr Baker was released, he was found dead on his bed surrounded by empty tablet packets and two notes.

Mr Baker's step-daughter Cherelle Stares, whom he lived with along with her daughter and his fiancee Kelly Davies, told the inquest that they had moved out to live with a relative as they feared for their safety after their address was posted online.