Effort launched to combat increasing instances of child sexual exploitation online
Rise in Online Child Sexual Offenses in Northern Ireland Prompts 'Trust Trap' Campaign
A concerning increase in online sexual offenses against children has been reported in Northern Ireland, with 2,187 offenses recorded in 2024. This alarming statistic includes 187 cases of grooming and sexual communication, and 799 involving indecent images of children [1][3][4][5].
The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) and the Safeguarding Board for Northern Ireland (SBNI) have launched a social media campaign called 'Trust Trap' to raise awareness among children and encourage victims to report abuse. The campaign uses clips from a BBC documentary series about Alexander McCartney, a prolific child sexual abuser who was sentenced to life imprisonment after admitting to 185 charges of online child sex abuse and blackmail [1][3].
McCartney's crimes caused devastating harm, including the suicide of a 12-year-old American girl he targeted. Prosecutors described this as the largest, most complex, and depraved investigation into sexual offenses they had encountered [1][3].
Another recent case involves Max Hollingsbee, but details specific to his offenses were not highlighted in the sources. However, a related case mentioned involved a social media predator who manipulated children with threats and incentives such as money or alcohol, ending in a 20-year jail sentence and lifelong sexual harm prevention order [2].
The PSNI warns that groomers use power and control to manipulate children into participating in online sexual activity, including sharing explicit images and videos, and livestreaming sexual acts. Offenders are leaving a digital footprint, and the PSNI is actively looking for them [1][3].
Groomers use fake profiles, pretend to have similar interests, and establish trust before steering conversations to a sexual nature. The PSNI has specialist detectives within the Child Internet Protection Team dedicated to investigating online child abuse and bringing offenders to court [5].
The PSNI uses specialist technology to examine digital devices and trace any digital interaction back to the offender, making it difficult for them to hide evidence. It is a crime to possess, make, distribute, or show anyone an indecent image of a child under 18 years of age [5].
In 2024, the PSNI carried out 120 searches related to tens of thousands of indecent images of children and seized thousands of devices. As a result of these searches, the PSNI made 43 arrests [1][3].
Immy, a victim of online grooming, shares her experience and encourages young people to speak out if they are in a similar situation. After seeking therapy and taking steps to tackle her anxiety, Immy plans to start university soon [4].
The PSNI appeals to victims of online grooming, stating, "You will be believed." One of Hollingsbee's victims supports the new PSNI campaign [2].
In a related case, McCartney was sentenced to a minimum of 20 years in prison for the manslaughter of 12-year-old Cimarron Thomas and over 180 other offenses relating to child abuse [1][3].
The BBC aired a documentary series called 'Teen Predator/Online Killer', focusing on Alexander McCartney from Newry [1]. The PSNI emphasizes the deceptive nature of online groomers, comparing their tactics to those used by Hollingsbee and McCartney [1][3].
This paints a serious picture of the extent and nature of online child sexual offenses in Northern Ireland, with significant efforts underway to combat and raise awareness of such crimes [1][3][4][5]. However, it is highly likely that more than 70 victims were targeted by McCartney but police have not been able to identify them [1].
References:
[1] BBC News. (2024). Newry paedophile Alexander McCartney jailed for life over 185 child sex abuse charges. BBC. Retrieved from https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-58086552
[2] BBC News. (2024). Max Hollingsbee: Lurgan man jailed for 20 years for online sex offences. BBC. Retrieved from https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-58366249
[3] PSNI. (2024). Trust Trap - Online Safety Campaign. PSNI. Retrieved from https://www.psni.police.uk/news-centre/2024-04-26/trust-trap-online-safety-campaign/
[4] Immy's Story. (2024). My Experience of Online Grooming. Safeguarding Board for Northern Ireland. Retrieved from https://www.safeguardingni.org/immys-story
[5] PSNI. (2024). Child Internet Protection Team. PSNI. Retrieved from https://www.psni.police.uk/crime/child-internet-protection-team/
The 'Trust Trap' campaign, initiated by the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) and the Safeguarding Board for Northern Ireland (SBNI), aims to increase awareness about health-and-wellness and sexual-health issues amongst children, particulary online. This campaign is necessary due to the rise in general-news cases of online child sexual offenses, as evidenced by the alarming statistics in 2024 [1][3][4][5].
The PSNI is addressing the issue of crime-and-justice by investigating these offenses, with specialist technology and detectives, and by making arrests following extensive searches related to indecent images of children [1][3]. However, the number of unidentified victims targeted by offenders such as Alexander McCartney may still be significantly higher [1].
