Crime

Children as young as 11 targeted by sextortion criminals

Published

1 year ago

March 9, 2025

Tom Sinclair

Internet safety experts warn of growing threat

CHILDREN as young as 11 are being targeted by online sextortion gangs for the first time, experts have warned.

The Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) has described the trend as “deeply concerning” and said criminals are widening their efforts to trap young victims.

Sextortion is a form of blackmail where victims – often teenage boys, though cases involving girls are rising – are tricked into sending explicit images to fraudsters who contact them via social media and messaging platforms. The criminals then demand money, threatening to distribute the images if their demands are not met.

The IWF reported five confirmed cases last year involving victims aged 11 to 13, out of 175 total cases involving children under 17. While the total was slightly lower than the previous year’s 176, experts say the threat remains serious.

‘Children as young as eight targeted’

Last month, parents at a primary school were urged to check their children’s devices after an eight-year-old girl was reportedly targeted in a sextortion scam.

The school warned that an individual had been impersonating pupils on Snapchat, and police confirmed that an investigation was underway after multiple reports of indecent images being shared.

Tamsin McNally, IWF’s hotline manager, said the organisation had observed a disturbing new tactic used by criminals.

“They are now not only threatening to share images but also making it appear as if the victim is responsible for a sexual crime. This adds an extraordinary level of pressure, making victims more likely to comply with demands,” she said.

Sextortion cases reported in Wales

South Wales Police reported a rise in sextortion cases in 2024, with victims being blackmailed into paying money to prevent explicit images from being shared. Criminals often impersonated acquaintances on social media to manipulate individuals into sending intimate content.

The National Crime Agency also issued an alert to schools across Wales, warning of an increase in financially motivated sextortion targeting children and young people. Organised crime groups were identified as a key driver behind these scams, coercing victims into sending images before demanding payments under threat of exposure.

North Wales Police have since provided guidance on responding to sextortion attempts, urging victims not to comply with demands and to report incidents immediately.

Online blackmail gangs operate globally

The National Crime Agency (NCA) has previously warned that international cybercriminals are running sextortion scams from abroad, with West Africa and Nigeria identified as hotspots for these criminal networks.

Experts believe many children remain unaware that they can remove intimate images from the internet through a dedicated service designed to help victims. The ‘Report Remove’ tool, operated by the IWF and the NSPCC, allows children to anonymously flag explicit content so that tech platforms can take it down or prevent it from being uploaded.

In 2024, usage of the Report Remove tool surged, with 1,142 reports processed – a 44% increase from the previous year. Nearly half of the cases involved victims aged 14 to 15, while 151 of the 175 sextortion cases reported last year came through the tool.

One parent, speaking anonymously, said the service had been a “gamechanger” after their 16-year-old son was targeted by a sextortion gang.

Derek Ray-Hill, interim chief executive of the IWF, said: “These figures show just how ruthless offenders are in targeting our children. There has never been a greater need for services like Report Remove to protect young people from exploitation.”

Parents and children are urged to remain vigilant and to report any suspected sextortion attempts to police and online safety organisations.

Crime

Man sent to Crown Court over alleged Cardigan cocaine and cannabis supply

Published

7 hours ago

July 3, 2026

Court Reporter

A 24-YEAR-OLD man has been sent to Crown Court to face a series of alleged drug supply offences in Cardigan.

Harrison Casey, of Harebell Way, Brownsover, Rugby, appeared before Aberystwyth Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday (Jul 2).

He faces six charges relating to alleged offences at Bridge Street, Cardigan, between April 7 and April 24, 2023.

The charges include being concerned in the supply of cocaine, a Class A drug, and being concerned in the supply of cannabis, a Class B drug.

Casey is also accused of possessing cannabis with intent to supply, possessing tetrahydrocannabinol with intent to supply, being concerned in an offer to supply THC edibles, and possessing flualpazolam, a Class C drug.

There were no pleas to the charges at this stage.

Magistrates sent the case to Swansea Crown Court for trial under Section 51 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998.

Casey was granted unconditional bail and is due to appear at Swansea Crown Court on August 3 for a plea and trial preparation hearing.

Crime

Family’s anguish as politicians raise fears over killer driver’s possible early release

Published

23 hours ago

July 2, 2026

Tom Sinclair

THE WIDOW of a Carmarthenshire father killed by a dangerous driver has been left facing months of uncertainty after being told the man jailed over her husband’s death may fall under new sentencing rules.

Aaron Jones, 38, from Llanpumsaint, died while walking his dog on December 23, 2024. His death devastated his family and shocked the close-knit village community.

Daniel Douglas Wyke, from Carmarthen, later admitted causing death by dangerous driving. He was jailed at Swansea Crown Court for four-and-a-half years and banned from driving for eight years and two months.

Now Aaron’s widow, Lisa Jones, has received correspondence indicating that Wyke may be affected by provisions introduced under the Sentencing Act 2026.

The family has been told it may not know until the end of August whether the changes will affect the time he spends in custody.

Ann Davies MP for Caerfyrddin and Nerys Evans MS for Sir Gaerfyrddin have now written to the Ministry of Justice seeking assurances that Aaron’s family will be heard during any review process.

They said the uncertainty had added further pain for a family already living with unimaginable loss.

“Our thoughts remain firmly with Lisa Jones, her family and the community of Llanpumsaint, who continue to endure unimaginable grief following the tragic loss of Aaron,” they said.

“To now face uncertainty over the sentence of the man responsible for his death adds further distress at an already devastating time.

“It is vital that the Ministry of Justice listens to victims and their families. Any move to shorten sentences in cases of this seriousness must be approached with the utmost caution and sensitivity.”

Nerys Evans MS said victims and their families must remain at the centre of the justice system.

She added: “We have written to the Ministry of Justice to seek assurance that the voice and view of Aaron’s family are able to be heard as part of any process to review the sentence.”

Ann Davies also raised the case in Westminster on Thursday, July 2.

Speaking in the House of Commons, she said her constituent Aaron Jones had been killed in a hit-and-run while walking his dog, and that his widow had since received a letter from the Ministry of Justice about sentence changes under the Sentencing Act 2026.

She asked whether ministers accepted that waiting until the end of August to learn whether Wyke could be released earlier than expected was causing further distress to victims’ families.

Sir Alan Campbell, Leader of the House of Commons, said he understood the sensitivity of the case and the distress caused to Aaron’s family.

He said: “These are difficult decisions, but I understand the point about assurances as far as they can be given to families.”

He added that he hoped the Ministry of Justice had heard the concerns and said he would raise the matter directly.

The Sentencing Act 2026 received Royal Assent in January. The Government says the reforms are intended to tackle prison overcrowding, increase the use of tougher community restrictions and make greater use of supervision and tagging after release.

However, the case has highlighted the anxiety caused to victims’ families when changes to release arrangements are communicated before the full impact on individual cases is known.

For Lisa Jones and her children, the question now is not only what decision will be made, but why they must wait weeks to find out.