Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Jailed for rape.. paedo who never met victims
Blackmailed kids abused others
AN INTERNET predator has been jailed for 16 years as a serial child rapist – despite never meeting his victims.
Paedophile Paul Leighton posed as teen girls on 40 Facebook pages and sent fake indecent images, Newcastle crown court was told.
He persuaded children to send back naked pictures, then blackmailed them to rape and film siblings, relatives and friends. The dad-of-one, 32, targeted 100 children around the world in a threeyear campaign of sextortion.
He told victims he would publish their photos if they did not do as he ordered. He shared the rape videos with other paedos.
The spray painter from Seaham, Co Durham, blackmailed one boy, 14, to rape his 12-month-old baby niece on “repeated occasions”. Many victims were left suicidal.
Paul Reid, prosecuting, said the “campaign of rape” was carried out while Leighton was on bail for a sex assault on a UK girl of nine.
He said: “This was utterly appalling abuse of children. It is suspected there could be 100 victims in the US, Canada and potentially two in Australia.”
Leighton admitted three rapes relating to children in the US and 16 other serious abuse charges.
An NSPCC spokeswoman said: “This case highlights the dangers young people face online every day. It’s vital parents talk to their children about staying safe.”