Naomi Long calls on Alexander McCartney victims to come forward

During the investigation, prosecutors discovered one case that had led to tragic consequences.

In 2018, he messaged 12-year-old Cimarron Thomas in West Virginia, USA. After complimenting her and getting a picture, he began his campaign of abuse.

He demanded more pictures of her and threatened to put her pictures online and expose her if she did not do what he said.

Scared, she did not tell anyone what was happening to her.

After McCartney pursued her further and told her to include her little sister, Cimarron shot herself in the head with her family’s legally held firearm while still online with McCartney.

Tragically, 18 months later, Cimarron’s father Ben took his own life. When he died he did not know the reason why Cimarron had taken hers.

In a statement read outside the court on Friday, Cimarron’s grandparents, Peggy and Dale Thomas, called on parents to “please keep the doors of communication open concerning the evil of some people online”.

If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this article, support is available via the BBC Action Line.