Online predator who ‘catfished’ child victims jailed for at least 20 years after driving girl, 12, to take her own life
25 October 2024, 15:06 | Updated: 25 October 2024, 15:59
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.
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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 posed as a teenage girl to befriend other girls on Snapchat before blackmailing them.
It's believed to be the UK's most prolific catfish offender with victims identified across the world.
Belfast Crown Court heard how McCartney, from south Armagh in Northern Ireland, pursued the victims online, targeting those aged between 10 and 16.
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 took his own life, not knowing what caused his daughter to kill herself.
McCartney previously pleaded guilty to manslaughter relating to Cimarron's death.
Police have labelled him a "dangerous, relentless, cruel paedophile" who "may as well have pulled the trigger himself".
According to barrister David McDowell KC, McCartney was "utterly remorseless" when it came to his crimes.
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.
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Victims were identified all over the world, including Australia, New Zealand and the US.
However, McCartney's catfishing is thought to have extended beyond those victims identified, with police suspecting there may be around 3,500 victims in total.
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.
The court heard how he would persuade his victims to send him images, later blackmailing them into sending more graphic material.
His demands and threats became increasingly graphic, with McCartney even telling one girl he would send people to rape her if she did not comply with his requests.
The Belfast court heard McCartney "counted down" from 20 to zero in a bid to pressurise Cimarron to send images.
The court heard how in the case of Cimarron Thomas, a police officer who reviewed the material was left "utterly distraught and sobbing".
In a statement, Cimarron's grandparents said: "We all have been devastated by our granddaughter's passing.
"We know that nothing that we do or say will bring her back. But if we can help another family to not have to go through what we did, something good could come out of her death.
"Parents, please keep the doors of communication open concerning the evil of some people online."
