UK’s ‘most prolific catfisher’ who drove girl, 12, to take her own life jailed

Online predator Alexander McCartney who drove one of his catfish victims to take her own life, has been jailed for a minimum of 20 years.

The 26-year-old pleaded guilty at Belfast Crown Court after admitting 185 charges involving 70 children.

He posed as a teenage girl to befriend young females 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 from his childhood bedroom.

McCartney is believed to be the UK’s most prolific catfish offender with victims identified across the world.

Other victims were identified in countries like Australia, New Zealand and the US.

Cimarron Thomas, 12, from West Virginia, took her own life in May 2018 rather than comply with his demands for her to involve her younger sister in sex acts.

She was first contacted by McCartney four days before her death and he had blackmailed her into sending images and at one point told him: ‘I don’t like this.’

When she told him she would tell police he replied: ‘I don’t care.’

He also asked for pictures of her nine-year-old sister, to which she responded: ‘Please not her.’

He then started a 30 second countdown before he threatened to post her pictures online.

McCartney said: ‘I am posting, bye. Ben Thomas first (Cimarron’s father). He should see the pix first.’

This is when Cimarron responded: ‘No, I’ll obey.’

Ben Thomas, Cimarron’s father, took his own life 18 months later.

McCartney previously pleaded guilty to manslaughter relating to Cimarron’s death and admitted 59 counts of blackmail, dozens of charges related to making and distributing indecent photographs and scores of charges of inciting children to engage in sexual activity.

Cimarron’s grandparents said in a victim impact statement: ‘We all have been devastated by our granddaughter’s passing.