In 2019, a 13-year-old girl in Scotland made a phone call that ultimately resulted in the apprehension of a social media predator who was referred to be one of the most active child sex abusers globally.
Northern Ireland's Alexander McCartney, who frequently shared pictures with other pedophiles, purported to be a teenage girl in order to make friends with, abuse, and blackmail children worldwide.
A couple, including a four-year-old child, had never disclosed their experiences to the police. After the child's suicide, McCartney was found guilty of 185 crimes, including manslaughter, and has served at least 20 years in prison.
In March 2019, the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) conducted an investigation into Alexander McCartney, who was arrested and interviewed. The PSNI seized 64 devices at McCartney's home, which contained hundreds of thousands of indecent photos and videos of underage girls performing sexual acts.
McCartney used fake accounts on online platforms, mainly Snapchat, to entrap and manipulate the victims. Det Ch Supt Eamonn Corrigan stated that McCartney had been "offending on an industrial scale."
He encouraged victims to submit pornographic photographs or have sex via a webcam or a mobile phone after tricking them into believing they were chatting online with a lady their own age.
The investigator added, "He threatened to share these images online for the pleasure of other paedophiles and use them to further abuse and harass the already terrified and exploited children." McCartney consistently employed the same method.
One instance involved McCartney grooming, sexually abusing, and blackmailing a 12-year-old girl in under nine minutes.
McCartney's depravity extended globally, involving people, family pets, and objects. The PSNI collaborated with the US Department of Homeland Security, the Public Prosecution Service, and National Crime Agency, resulting in victims in America, New Zealand, and at least 28 other countries.
When Cimarron Thomas shot herself while chatting with McCartney online, her sister, who is nine years old, discovered her.
In 2019, police contacted Catherine Kierans, acting head of the Public Prosecution Service's serious crime unit, about a significant issue involving catfishing, a practice where individuals create false identities to gain trust and exploit others.
Ms. Kierans reported that 10-12 year old girls were being systematically threatened. Some children had previously disclosed their abuse, helping police identify the perpetrator.
Others remained silent until the police arrived, never sharing their experiences. Ms. Kierans stated that McCartney was offended "around the clock." Some children raised alarms, helping police identify the perpetrator.
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