Prolific paedophile, who used fake Facebook profiles, is jailed for 25-years for online abuse
One of Britain's most prolific paedophiles, who used fake Facebook profiles to blackmail children into sending indecent images of themselves, has been been jailed for 25-years.
David Wilson, 36, admitted 96 child sex abuse offences relating to 52 victims, but the National Crime Agency (NCA) said he had targeted more than 5,000 children globally.
The roofer, who lived with his mother in, King's Lynn, Norfolk, used unregistered mobile phones to set up a series of fake social media profile.
He then sent images of girls from the internet to young boys and asked them to send indecent images of themselves in return.
Wilson then threatened to distribute the pictures online unless they sent more extreme footage of themselves.
In some cases he forced them to abuse younger siblings or friends on camera, leading some victims to consider taking their own lives.
The 52 victims in the case were all boys aged between four and 14 and the offending happened between May 2016 and April 2020.
The offences included causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, causing a child to watch a sexual act, and arranging or facilitating the sexual exploitation of a child.
Wilson also admitted making unwarranted demands for indecent images of a child with menace, threatening to post an indecent image on social media if they did not comply.
Judge Rupert Overbury said in his 40 year career Wilson's offending was among the worst he had seen.
He told Wilson: "You demonstrated a complete and utter disregard for every child you manipulated irrespective of their age.
"There was a sadistic element to your offending including blackmail and a relentless targeting of vulnerable children who often pleaded for mercy."
He added: "You are in my judgement an extremely dangerous individual who has a perverted and sadistic sexual interest in young boys. On the facts presented to the court you can properly be described as a serial paedophile."
Wilson was arrested three times, first in 2017, again in 2018 and then finally in 2020, before the NCA had enough evidence to charge him.
Rob Jones, NCA's Director of Threat, said: “This is probably the biggest single issue that is potentially going to affect out efforts to tackle child abuse online."
Home Secretary Priti Patel said: “The tireless efforts of the NCA have put a truly awful criminal behind bars, providing justice to those who suffered as well as protecting hundreds of potential victims.
“This sickening case is a chilling reminder of how crucial it is that tech companies play their part in combating child sexual abuse.
“It is vital that Facebook do not press ahead without amending their current end-to-end-encryption plans, otherwise sick criminals like David Wilson could still be abusing children with impunity.”
A Facebook spokesman said: "Child exploitation and grooming have no place on our platforms."
Susie Hargreaves, chief executive of the Internet Watch Foundation, a UK charity involved in finding and removing images and videos of child sexual abuse from the internet, said: "This kind of offending is becoming a marked threat to children and, sadly, we are seeing more and more material being shared online which children have been tricked, bullied, coerced, or blackmailed into making themselves.
"We know there are whole communities of predators out there, and that they are looking to contact children and abuse them from afar, often in the apparent safety of their own bedrooms.
"Parents need to have frank discussions with their children, and let them know they can go to them if they see anything or are approached by someone online."
