Stuart Latham from Wigan, in the United Kingdom, has been jailed for 14 years after being found guilty of multiple sex offences against children he targeted online.
Latham, 22, posed as a 14-year-old boy to trick youngsters into sending indecent images in exchange for money or gift cards.
He later blackmailed many of them by threatening to leak the pictures if they asked for them to be deleted.
He was sentenced at Preston Crown Court on 49 charges, including rape, blackmail, making indecent images, and causing a child to engage in sexual activity. The case is believed to be one of Greater Manchester Police’s biggest investigations into online child abuse.
One of his 41 victims, who was just 12 when Latham raped her, told him in court: “You have taken the child in me away from me.” Another victim said she thought she was in a relationship with him, describing how her heart “dropped” when she discovered what he had done to others.
The court heard that Latham used Snapchat to reach out to girls as young as 11. He created a fake profile with a photo of a teenager and posted adverts offering £200 gift cards in exchange for indecent images.
When police arrested him, they discovered a hidden phone containing thousands of child abuse images, including videos up to an hour long.
Victims were found across the UK, from Scotland to Bournemouth, and investigators believe there could be others in the US.
Greater Manchester Police has urged anyone else who may have been targeted by Latham to come forward.
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