Life Sentence for Digital Predator in Catfishing Scandal

Alexander McCartney, a 26-year-old Northern Irishman, was sentenced to life in prison for 185 charges linked to child sexual abuse and blackmail via catfishing, resulting in a 12-year-old American girl's suicide. McCartney posed as a teenage girl to exploit victims, urging them to send indecent images.

A Northern Irish man, Alexander McCartney, received a life sentence on Friday for 185 charges related to online child sexual abuse and catfishing. The court disclosed that McCartney's actions included blackmail and led to the suicide of a 12-year-old American girl.

The 26-year-old computer science student manipulated victims from across the globe on platforms like Snapchat and Instagram. Posing as a teenage girl, he convinced them to send explicit images, which he distributed online, and used for threats.

Justice John O'Hara informed Belfast Crown Court that McCartney will be eligible for release consideration in 2039. The guilty defendant, who admitted all charges, was taken away in handcuffs after the verdict.

(With inputs from agencies.)