Online predator whose ‘catfishing’ abuse led US father and daughter to take their own lives in prison

An online predator whose abuse caused an American girl and her father to take their own lives has been jailed for at least 20 years in the UK’s biggest catfishing case.

Warning: This article contains references to suicide and child sexual abuse, which readers may find disturbing.

Alexander McCartney, 26, ex admitted 185 chargesincluding the manslaughter of a girl who took her own life.

Belfast Crown Court heard his victims were aged between 10 and 16 and were located in the UK, US, continental Europe, Australia and New Zealand.

McCartney, from South Armagh in Northern Ireland, impersonated someone else online (known as catfishing) – in his case he pretended to be a young girl – to persuade his victims to send him images. He then blackmailed his victims into sending him more graphic material.

Cimarron Thomas, 12, from the US state of West Virginia, she shot herself with her father’s guninstead of complying with his demands. But there were even more tragic consequences for her family.

Unable to cope with the loss of his daughter, her father Ben Thomas, a former US Army veteran, committed suicide 18 months later.

McCartney, a former computer science student, pleaded guilty to one count of manslaughter, 59 counts of extortion and 70 counts of soliciting a child for sexual activity.

Sentencing, the judge said McCartney began committing crimes at the age of 14.

McCartney ‘absolutely ruthless’

McCartney also admitted dozens of charges related to making and distributing indecent images of children and appeared to be “completely ruthless”, according to prosecutor David McDowell KC.

At an earlier hearing, prosecutors described how McCartney deliberately targeted victims who were either gay or exploring their sexuality and “degraded and humiliated” them. The judge called the details of the case “excruciating”.

Much of what he did is too graphic and disturbing to detail.

McCartney told a girl he would send people to her home to rape her if she didn’t comply. In some cases, he required his victims to include younger siblings.

Introduces herself as “Sarah” to the catfish victim

Posing as “Sarah”, he sends a message to Cimarron Thomas at her family home in the small American village of Bruceton and convinces her to send him a picture of her waist.

When McCartney revealed she wasn’t “Sarah,” he demanded more revealing photos and threatened to send them to her father.

When she asked him to stop, he told her to “wipe her eyes” and included her nine-year-old sister in the sexually explicit photos.

The court heard he “counted down” online from 20 to zero – demanding more pictures. Cimarron refused and shot herself.

McCartney’s cynical final message read: “Goodbye and good luck.”

Dad couldn’t forgive himself

Her younger sister heard what she thought was a balloon popping, but found Cimarron lying on the floor of her parents’ bedroom.

Cimarron’s father, Ben, couldn’t forgive himself for leaving his gun nearby and took his own life 18 months later.

Cimarron’s family couldn’t figure out why she ended her life until police discovered an online chat on McCartney’s computer.

Earlier, the court heard an impact statement from Cimarron Thomas’ grandparents, who said: “Our lives will never be the same. We didn’t get to see her graduate, walk down the aisle, or have children.

“We were robbed of those memories. Our lives have changed forever.”

Anyone who feels emotionally disturbed or suicidal can call Samaritans for help on 116 123 or send an email jo@samaritans.org in Great Britain. In the US, call the Samaritans branch in your area or 1 (800) 273-TALK.