6 hari yang lalu
The UK's astir prolific and deviant catfish abuser who drove a terrified 12-year-old woman to return her ain life and near hundreds of others degraded and humiliated was jailed for life pinch a minimum of 20 years today.
Alexander McCartney, a 26-year-old machine subject student, caused Cimarron Thomas to usage her father's handgun to sprout herself successful nan caput alternatively than taxable to his perverted demands.
Her US service seasoned begetter Ben later took his ain life aft being consumed pinch guilt for leaving his weapon wherever his 'angelic' girl could entree it.
McCartney, of Newry, South Armagh, had pleaded blameworthy to nan manslaughter of Cimarron astatine her location successful Bruceton Mills, West Virginia, astatine a proceeding earlier this year.
He besides admitted 184 different offences of blackmail and inciting a kid to prosecute successful intersexual activity.
A caller photograph of Cimarron Thomas, 12, of Bruceton Mills, West Virginia, which was issued coming pursuing nan sentencing of Alexander McCartney who drove her to return her ain life
A mugshot of Alexander McCartney who admitted manslaughter relating to Cimarron's death
In horrific messages betwixt Alexander McCartney and 1 of his kid victims, his perverted strategies are laid bare arsenic he tin beryllium seen joking and flirting earlier abruptly turning nasty
Cimarron Thomas (left) pinch her US service seasoned begetter Ben Thomas, who later took his ain life aft being consumed pinch guilt for leaving his weapon wherever his girl could entree it
The erstwhile University of Ulster student had pretended to beryllium a teenage woman erstwhile contacting hundreds of different young girls, galore who were cheery aliases unsure of their sexuality.
Using nan Snapchat and different societal media he persuaded them to nonstop topless photos – earlier revealing they had been catfished.
Catfishing involves nan usage of a mendacious personality online to befriend and utilization victims.
He had first made interaction pinch Cimarron Thomas successful May 2018. After receiving friendly photos he tried to blackmail her into carrying retired his deviant demands.
Despite tearfully pleading pinch him to extremity McCartney threatened to nonstop nan photos to her begetter and friends.
When she refused his demands and said she would sprout herself he cruelly began a countdown and told her 'goodbye and bully luck'.
Alexander McCartney (pictured), 26, operated from nan chamber of his family location successful agrarian Northern Ireland and persuaded young girls to nonstop naked pictures of themselves
Cimarron and Ben Thomas pinch mother Stephanie. The double calamity ripped isolated nan family
Cimarron Thomas (pictured) was taxable to sick blackmailing online by McCartney and utilized her father's handgun to return her ain life
The youngster was recovered dying by her nine-year-old sister.
Police who carried retired nan investigation into McCartney coming released nan emergency telephone made by a neighbour who has rushed to thief nan young girl.
Much of nan telephone is muffled, but nan 911 usability tin beryllium heard telling nan neighbour to use unit to nan caput wound.
Cimarron's 40-year-old begetter Ben took his ain life 18 months aft her death.
At nan clip nan family from a agrarian municipality had nary thought why Cimarron had committed suicide.
It was only successful 2021 erstwhile constabulary recovered a transcript of nan speech betwixt Cimarron and McCartney they were capable to show them nan logic for her death.
He had kept nan online chat arsenic a 'trophy' connected his computer.
Cimarron (pictured pinch her begetter Ben) was told that if she did not comply pinch McCartney's requests, her photos would beryllium sent to her father
Cimarron's mother Stephanie (pictured left) still struggles to woody pinch nan nonaccomplishment of her hubby and girl six years aft nan double calamity - she is pictured present pinch Cimarron
The Thomas family initially had nary thought why their girl (pictured) had taken her life and were unaware of nan depravity she had been subjected to
Family members told MailOnline that evil McCartney 'might arsenic good pulled nan trigger' and were outraged that he was not charged pinch murder.
They had hoped that he would beryllium extradited to nan US, but State Department authorities opportunity that will not happen.
Members of nan Thomas family said nan double calamity had torn isolated their family pinch Cimarron's mother Stephanie suffering from PTSD and six years connected incapable to bring herself to talk astir her daughter's death.
Prosecutor David McDowell spent 90 minutes describing really McCartney had 'degraded and humiliated' his victims and showed nary mercy erstwhile they pleaded pinch him to stop.
McCartney refused to perceive to nan gut wrenching specifications of his run of abuse, sitting successful nan dock pinch his caput bowed and hands covering his ears.
Most of his victims were aged from betwixt 10 and 16 and lived successful nan UK, Europe, America, Australia and New Zealand.
McCartney utilized his method knowledge arsenic a machine subject student to transportation retired his crimes, said nan prosecution
Cimarron Thomas, 12, (pictured) utilized her father's handgun to return her ain life aft being blackmailed online by McCartney
A tribute to Cimarron Thomas, 12, (pictured successful nan framework centre) who took her ain life
Pretending to beryllium a girl, McCartney recovered and befriended girls who were said to beryllium struggling pinch sexuality.
He flattered them to get a compromising photograph and past utilized it to blackmail and frighten nan teens into committing appalling acts.
Each unfortunate was near terrified that their friendly photos would beryllium exposed to family and friends.
McCartney told 1 woman that he would get group to travel to her location to rape her if she didn't comply.
When different said her mother was dying of crab he said 'I don't care' and continued pinch his relentless abuse.
Prosecutors said he carried retired nan maltreatment for his ain intersexual gratification.
It only came to an extremity aft a woman successful Scotland complained that she was a unfortunate of catfishing and nan UK's biggest catfishing investigation was launched.
In March 2019 constabulary successful Scotland contacted their counterparts successful Northern Ireland astir a 13-year-old woman who had been groomed by an big utilizing nan othername of personification her age.
McCartney was traced and arrested. Pollice seized 64 devices and recovered tens of thousands of images of underage girls performing activity acts while being blackmailed.
His lawyers said McCartney had showed genuine remorse and has been held connected remand for 5 years since being arrested successful 2019.
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