A serial catfish abuser from Northern Ireland who caused one of his victims in the US to take her own life has been jailed for life with a minimum of 20 years.
Online predator Alexander McCartney, 26, had used the Snapchat social media platform to befriend teenage girls across the world, and convince them to send an explicity image.
One he had secured a picture of his victims, he would then reveal the “catfish” and blackmail them into taking part in sex acts.
He admitted 185 charges involving 70 children, although a court has previously been told that the real number of victims is much higher.
McCartney, who posed as a young girl to befriend his vulnerable victims, is believed to be the UK’s most prolific catfish offender with affected individuals 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 has 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.
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