Britain’s ‘most prolific cat catcher’ Alexander McCartney jailed | UK News

Internet predator Alexander McCartney, who drove one of his catfish victims to suicide, has been jailed for a minimum of 20 years.

The 26-year-old pleaded guilty at Belfast Crown Court, admitting 185 charges relating to 70 children.

He posed as a teenage girl to befriend young women on Snapchat before blackmailing them.

McCartney, originally from Newry, Northern Ireland, used his technical knowledge as a computer science student to carry out his crimes in his childhood bedroom.

McCartney is considered the UK’s most prolific criminal, with victims identified throughout the world.

Other victims have been identified in countries such as Australia, New Zealand and the United States.

Cimarron Thomas, 12, of West Virginia, committed suicide in May 2018 rather than comply with his demands to engage her little sister in sex acts.

Ben Thomas, her father, took his own life 18 months later.

McCartney previously pleaded guilty to manslaughter in connection with Cimarron’s death and admitted 59 counts of blackmail, dozens of charges related to the production and distribution of indecent photographs, and multiple charges of inciting children to engage in sexual activity.