Abuser at centre of 'world's largest' catfish case jailed after driving girl, 12, to suicide
manchestereveningnews.co.ukA catfish predator who drove a girl into taking her own life will spend at least 20 years behind bars. Serial online abuser Alexander McCartney admitted 185 charges involving 70 children, in what was one of the world's biggest catfishing cases.
The 26-year-old posed as a teenage girl to befriend young females on Snapchat before blackmailing them - all from the bedroom of his childhood home.
McCartney is believed to be the UK’s most prolific catfish offender. Victims were identified from across the world - including Australia, New Zealand and the United States.
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. READ MORE: International crime gang operating £3m 'chop shop' plot in Greater Manchester smashed Eighteen months later, her heartbroken father Ben Thomas also died by suicide.
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