Overview
- The 28-year-old was sentenced at Leeds Crown Court on October 21 to 24 years in prison plus three years on licence, with an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order and lifetime sex offender registration.
- He admitted 83 offences involving cyber-enabled grooming, blackmail and indecent image crimes after a multi-force investigation led by North Yorkshire Police and the Online Child Abuse Team.
- Offending between December 2020 and January 2023 targeted victims aged 10 to 17 across England, Scotland and Wales, using fake profiles, covert recordings, threats to share images and small payments to coerce more material.
- He was first arrested on November 14, 2022 at Dishforth Airfield after a report of attempted extortion, his devices were seized, and he was rearrested on December 16, 2024 as the inquiry widened.
- Detectives said he gave no-comment interviews, described him as a prolific and dangerous offender, and reported severe harm among victims including a suicide attempt, with safeguarding support ongoing.