North Yorkshire-based former soldier jailed for 24 years over prolific child abuse and sextortion
Austen Tobias Fleming preyed on victims across the UK with dozens of cyber offences
Last updated 21st Oct 2025
A former soldier based in North Yorkshire has been jailed for 24 years after admitting 83 counts of child sexual abuse and exploitation, carried out against victims across the UK.
Austen Tobias Fleming, 28, of Stirling Road, Kilsyth, North Lanarkshire, was sentenced at Leeds Crown Court today, 21st October 2025.
Fleming also faces a further three years on licence, has been made subject to an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order, and will be on the Sex Offenders Register for life.
Investigators revealed Fleming committed offences between December 2020 and January 2023 while stationed at Dishforth Airfield, near Thirsk. He was arrested in November 2022 after police acted on intelligence that he attempted to extort sexual images from a child.
Online grooming and threat tactics
Detectives say Fleming created multiple fake social media profiles, often pretending to be female, to groom children into sending indecent images and videos of themselves.
He would record interactions with victims to use as leverage, demanding more explicit material and threatening to share images with their families if they refused.
Some victims were sent small payments or vouchers as inducement.
The youngest victim was just 10 years old, with others up to the age of 17.
The abuse affected children from areas including Scotland, Wales, London, Kent, Surrey, Sussex, Lincolnshire, Birmingham, Warwickshire, Nottingham, Cheshire, Lancashire, West Yorkshire, Humberside, Durham and North Yorkshire.
Impact on victims
One child was so badly traumatised by Fleming's threats that he tried to take his own life, while others were left in acute distress as a result of the abuse.
Fleming answered ‘no comment’ to all questions in police interviews, including those relating to victim accounts.
Sentencing and police response
Fleming’s offences included inciting children to engage in sexual activity, sexual exploitation, making and distributing indecent images, and blackmail.
Detective Constable Tom Sutcliffe from North Yorkshire Police’s Online Child Abuse Team said:
“This has been a large-scale investigation involving constabularies in Scotland, England and Wales. Their support has been crucial in obtaining accounts from the many victims of Fleming.
"It has also required collaborative safeguarding working involving social services across the UK to ensure the young people involved receive the support that they need.
"I have nothing but praise for the continued bravery of the victims.”
DC Sutcliffe added, “Fleming is clearly a depraved offender who poses a significant danger to young people especially. He now faces a long time in prison and will be robustly monitored by the authorities for the rest of his life.”
How to recognise and report sextortion
Sextortion often starts with unwanted contact on social media, dating apps or websites. Offenders may ask for sexual images soon after making contact, sometimes using a fake identity. Red flags include rapid attempts to start a relationship, repeated requests for sexual content, or threats that they have access to your contacts.
If you believe you are being targeted, you should stop communicating with the individual and review your privacy settings. Never pay or send further images in response to threats.
Victims are encouraged to report concerns to police online, by calling 101, or in person at a police station. In an emergency or if violence is threatened, dial 999.
Those under 18 can report online child sexual abuse to the National Crime Agency’s CEOP Safety Centre.
Further advice and resources are available from police and specialist support organisations.