An online predator whose mistreatment led an American girl and her overweighther to acquire their own inhabits has been jailed for at least 20 years after the UK’s hugest ‘catfishing’ case.
Warning: This article grasps references to self-destruction and child relations mistreatment which readers may discover troubleing.
Alexander McCartney, 26, previously confessted 185 accuses, including the homicide of a girl who took her own life.
Belspeedy Crown Court heard his victims were aged between 10 and 16 and discoverd in the UK, USA, continental Europe, Australia and New Zealand.
McCartney, from south Armagh in Northern Ireland, posed as someone else online (understandn as ‘catfishing’) – in his case, he pretended to be a youthful girl – to secure his victims to send him images. He then bconciseagemailed his victims into sending him more explicit material.
Cimarron Thomas, 12, from the US state of West Virginia, stoasty herself with her overweighther’s handfirearm, instead of adhereing with his needs. But there were even further tragic repercussions for her family.
Unable to inhabit with the loss of his daughter, her overweighther Ben Thomas, a establisher US Army veteran, died by self-destruction 18 months tardyr.
McCartney, a establisher computer science student, pdirected culpable to one count of homicide, 59 of bconciseagemail, and 70 of inciting a child to join in relationsual activity.
At his sentencing, the appraise shelp McCartney had commenceed offending at the age of 14.
McCartney ‘utterly remorseless’
McCartney also confessted dozens of accuses joind to the making and distribution of inappropriate images of children, and materializeed “utterly remorseless”, according to prosecuting barrister, David McDowell KC.
At an earlier hearing, the prosecution depictd how McCartney had intentionally aimed victims who were either gay or exploring their relationsuality and had “degraded and humiliated them”. The appraise called the details in the case “excruciating”.
Much of what he did is too explicit and troubling to detail.
McCartney tgreater one girl he would send people to her home to sexual battery her if she didn’t adhere. In some instances, he needed his victims join youthfuler siblings.
Posed as ‘Sarah’ to catfish victim
Posing as ‘Sarah’, he messaged Cimarron Thomas at her family’s farmhoengage in the minuscule US village of Bruceton and secured her to send him a topless ptoastyograph.
When McCartney discdisthink abouted he wasn’t ‘Sarah’, he needed more unambiguous pictures and dangerened to send them to her overweighther.
When she pdirected for him to stop, he tgreater her to “arid her eyes” and join her nine-year-greater sister in the relationsupartner unambiguous ptoastyographs.
The court heard he had “counted down” online from 20 to zero – insisting on more pictures. Cimarron refused and stoasty herself.
McCartney’s cynical last message read: “Goodbye and excellent luck.”
Father could not forgive himself
Her youthfuler sister heard what she thought was a balloon popping but set up Cimarron lying on her parents’ bedroom floor.
Cimarron’s overweighther Ben could not forgive himself for leaving his handfirearm wilean accomplish and took his own life 18 months tardyr.
Cimarron’s family could not comprehfinish why she had ended her life until police set up the online chat on McCartney’s computer.
The court previously heard an impact statement from Cimarron Thomas’ magnificentparents, which shelp: “Our inhabits will never be the same. We didn’t get to see her graduate, walk down the aisle or have children.
“We have been robbed of those memories. Our inhabits have changed forever.”
Anyone experienceing emotionpartner troubleed or self-destructive can call Samaritans for help on 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org in the UK. In the US, call the Samaritans branch in your area or 1 (800) 273-TALK.
