About 3,500 children believed to have been abused by a “dangerous, relentless, cruel paedophile” are being encouraged to come forward.
Warning: This article contains references to suicide and child sex abuse which readers may find distressing.
Northern Ireland’s justice minister Naomi Long has been commenting on Alexander McCartney – one of the world’s most prolific online offenders – who was jailed for at least 20 years on Friday in Belfast.
McCartney, 26, from south Armagh in Northern Ireland, admitted 185 charges, including the manslaughter of a girl who took her own life.
He befriended children online, by posing as a girl, then blackmailed them into sending him explicit images.
“The sad part of all of this is that some of those victims may never be able to be identified,” Ms Long told BBC Radio Ulster.
“Many of these children were terrified of what would happen to them if they were to say what they had done because they felt guilty about their behaviours.
“I would certainly encourage anyone who has been abused in this way by McCartney or by others to come forward to their local police to tell what is happening.”
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Naomi Long. File pic: PA
During McCartney’s trial, Belfast Crown Court heard victims were aged between 10 and 16 and based in the UK, USA, continental Europe, Australia and New Zealand.
Prosecutors said he posed as someone else online – known as catfishing – then “degraded and humiliated” his victims.
Devices seized from his bedroom contained thousands of indecent photographs and videos of underage girls.
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Cimarron Thomas. Pic: PSNI
One of McCartney’s victims Cimarron Thomas, 12, from West Virginia, shot herself with her father’s gun. Her father Ben Thomas, a former US Army veteran, died by suicide 18 months later.
Ms Long, leader of the Alliance Party, also paid tribute to officers who “spent hours watching material that no human being should ever have to see in order to ensure this case could be brought to court”.
She added: “At least the abuser has been identified and will serve a considerable length of time in prison”.
Read more from Sky News:
Catfish victim talks about ‘crazy’ Netflix doc
‘Manipulative’ catfish jailed after posing as man
How parents and teenagers can tackle ‘sextortion’
While he was jailed for charges linked to 70 victims, it is believed that the number of children he abused is about 3,500.
:: Anyone feeling emotionally distressed or suicidal can call Samaritans for help on 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org in the UK. In the US, call the Samaritans branch in your area or 1 (800) 273-TALK.