Catfish abuser who drove 12-year-old girl to suicide given 20 years in prison
Alexander McCartney, 26, admitted 185 charges involving 70 children
Last updated 25th Oct 2024
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.
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.
The PSNI Investigation started after report was made by Police Scotland in 2019 about the online grooming of a 13 year old girl.
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McCartney, who posed as a teenage girl to befriend young females on Snapchat before blackmailing them, is believed to be the UK's most prolific catfish offender with victims 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 previously 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.
Victims were identified all over the world, including Australia, New Zealand and the US.
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.
Handing down a life sentence to Alexander McCartney at Belfast Crown Court, Mr Justice O'Hara said he must serve 20 years in jail before he can be considered for release.
He told the court that the five years McCartney had already spent in custody would serve as part of his sentence.
He said: "The result is that he will be eligible for consideration for release by the parole commissioners, but not until 2039.
"I do not envy the commissioners having to reach their decision at that point."
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