Second major conviction for catfishing in Northern Ireland within months

THE sentencing of a prolific online predator from Belfast, David John Andrews, on Tuesday has become the second high-profile conviction for catfishing in Northern Ireland in recent months.

Posing as a teenage boy on Snapchat and Instagram to trap his victims, Andrews (55) was handed a 27-year sentence for his crimes. He will serve half the time in jail before he will be assessed for release.

He pleaded guilty to 130 charges of sexual abuse relating to 47 victims, of which 46 were children.

In October, Alexander McCartney (26) from outside Newry in Co Down, received a life sentence for what was described as one of the world’s largest catfishing scandals.

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Described by detectives as a “disgusting child predator,” he admitted to 185 charges involving 70 child victims but it is believed there are “many, many more victims.”

His abuse also led to the 2018 death of 12-year-old Cimarron Thomas from West Virginia, who took her own life after being blackmailed online.

At least two other catfishing cases in Northern Ireland are currently progressing through the courts.

Max Hollingsbee (20) from Co Armagh is awaiting sentencing for a string of sex offences committed against eight young girls.

This included coercing children to send him explicit images and then blackmailing them.

He also sold his content to other online users before threatening to report them to the police if they did not send more money.

Last month, he was also charged with a further 14 offences alleged to have been committed against five young girls.

During an earlier bail application, a PSNI detective said Hollingsbee had been operating “a sophisticated scheme” using social media where he posed using male and female aliases.

Also in November, a teenager has been accused of a vast catfishing enterprise to blackmail multiple child victims over indecent images.

Appearing at Dungannon Magistrates Court, the teenager who cannot be named, appeared for a committal hearing on a total of 61 charges.

When the case had first reached court, a detective sergeant explained they had received a report from Greater Manchester Police last July after the mother of an 11-year-old boy found suspicious messages on his phone - claiming to be from an 12-year-old girl.

Police later ascertained the number was the accused who was already on bail facing similar allegations.

It accused is alleged to have sent the boy a £20 voucher for a PlayStation game in return for sexual images.

Speaking after the sentencing of David John Andrews on Tuesday, Detective Chief Inspector Jill Duffie called him “a heinous child predator.”

She also issued a stark warning to online predators.

“We are here to put a stop to those who think they can abuse children in our society,” she said.

“Let this serve as a warning to those operating online and hiding behind fake accounts and firewalls. You will be caught and you will face the full force of the law when you are.”

One of Andrews' victims who is now an adult, Clare (not her real name), spoke of how being blackmailed by him over explicit photos had “destroyed” her life.

Her mother also recalled the devastation she felt after being informed what was happening.

“I would urge other parents out there to regularly check their child’s devices, and to not be afraid to have open and transparent conversations with their children about what they are doing online,” she said.

“It’s important to warn them that not everybody online is who they say they are.”