Prolific catfish abuser Alexander McCartney who drove girl to suicide jailed for at least 20 years
Some readers may find the details of this report distressing.
An online predator who drove one of his catfish victims in the US to take her own life has been jailed for at least 20 years.
Alexander McCartney, 26, who admitted 185 charges involving 70 children, was given a life sentence with a minimum term by Mr Justice O’Hara at Belfast Crown Court on Friday.
McCartney, who posed as a teenage girl to befriend young females on Snapchat before blackmailing them, is believed to be the UK’s most prolific catfish offender with victims identified across the world.
Twelve-year-old Cimarron Thomas from West Virginia in the US took her own life in May 2018 rather than comply with McCartney’s demands for her to involve her younger sister in sex acts.
Eighteen months later, her heartbroken father Ben Thomas also died by suicide.
McCartney previously pleaded guilty to manslaughter relating to Cimarron’s death.
He also admitted 59 counts of blackmail, dozens of charges related to making and distributing indecent photographs and scores of charges of inciting children to engage in sexual activity.
Victims were identified all over the world, including Australia, New Zealand and the US.
McCartney, originally from Lissummon Road outside Newry, Northern Ireland, used his technical knowledge as a computer science student to carry out his crimes.
His offending was carried out from the bedroom of his childhood home.
“Alexander McCartney committed some horrific and disturbing crimes and deserves every minute he serves in prison,” said Special Agent in Charge Derek W. Gordon of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C.
“His wretched conduct tragically led to a child in West Virginia taking her own life. We are thankful that our law enforcement partners in Northern Ireland saw fit to apprehend and charge McCartney for his role in the girl’s death.
"Their investigation and prosecution of this case were nothing short of brilliant. HSI Washington, D.C. will continue to work with our law enforcement partners, at home and abroad, to ensure that detestable criminal actors like McCartney answer for their transgressions.”
Detective Chief Superintendent Eamonn Corrigan from the Police Service of Northern Ireland’s Crime Operations Department said: “My team and I welcome today’s sentencing. Investigating Detectives have been determined to bring McCartney before the courts to answer for his crimes and today we have done just that.
“McCartney is nothing but a disgusting child predator who was posing as young girls online to groom, manipulate and sexually abuse his victims, as young as four, to satisfy his own sexual perversions and that of other online child sexual offenders.
“We have worked tirelessly around the clock on this case, with international criminal justice partners to safeguard victims and build a robust case against this man whose offending has shocked communities around the world.
“Sitting in his childhood bedroom in Newry, he began his offending as a late teenager and built what can only be described as a pedophile enterprise. He had a number of devices and was operating across different time zones.
“He has caused serious and long-lasting harm on what we estimate to be around 3,500 victims and their families. I want to thank those who have come forward today for being so incredibly brave and assisting our investigations.
“As far as I am concerned there is only one place for McCartney and that is behind bars. I am glad his offending has been uncovered and that it has today been taken seriously by our criminal justice system.
“I want to take this opportunity to thank Homeland Security Agents and other Police services around the world who worked with us on this complex case. It was a team effort to get to sentencing today.
“It should not be underestimated how difficult this job is, to watch and grade child abuse imagery to bring someone like McCartney to justice and locate and safeguard his victims is no easy feat. All of us working on this case have families at home and we wanted to protect these children as if they were our own.
“His offending is devastating and unfortunately we are seeing more of this type of online predatory behaviour from younger offenders than ever before.
“We are working harder than ever to protect children who are being exploited in any way for the sexual gain of adults. If you are downloading, viewing, making, possessing or distributing indecent images of children, we are actively looking for you. Please take that as a serious threat.”
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