THE number of alleged victims of a man accused of posing as a female escort to extort money from them is expected to climb from 12 to more than 450, a court has heard.
Scott Toothill (35) from Gledarragh Park, Ederney is charged with inciting prostitution, fraud by posing as a female and offering sexual services, blackmail, and concealing criminal property between August 2021 and November 2022.
There are potentially more than 100 alleged victims worldwide and “the volume of offending uncovered is greater than police could ever have anticipated,” a police officer told Enniskillen Magistrates Court.
A detective told the court that in November 2022 police commenced an investigation after Toothill, a registered sex offender, was found with an unapproved mobile phone and five SIM cards.
Analysis revealed he had posed as a female escort on various social media platforms using at least 12 different names, he said.
More than 700,000 pieces of data from his phone and bank account were examined which demonstrate, “the sheer volume and scale of offending,” the police officer said.
Toothill would allegedly pretend to be a female escort and arrange payment for sexual services.
Some alleged victims were blackmailed with exposure if they didn’t pay him.
Toothill also allegedly engaged with several females whom he tried to involve in prostitution.
Two females whose images and details were used by Toothill to set up fake accounts on escort websites, “caused great distress over the amount of sexual requests received,”
There are four alleged male victims from Toothill posing as a female advertising sexual services and obtaining payment however no meeting ever took place.
The detective said: “Analysis shows approximately £171,000 entering and leaving the defendant’s bank account, all believed to be from fraud and blackmail. He has employed the use of two co-accused to collect money on his behalf who take a small cut but the majority is swiftly transferred to the defendant.”
The most recent sitting of Enniskillen Magistrates Court heard that “there are potentially 454 offences which police are going through the painstaking task of cross-referencing.
“The process is further complicated by the accused’s use of various devices and there is a current backlog of offences to be worked through. The volume of offending uncovered is greater than police could ever have anticipated.”
District Judge Alana McSorley listed the case against Toothill, who remains in custody, for mention again on December 16.