Prolific paedophile set his sights on 2,000 victims

A PROLIFIC paedophile who posed as an online sugar daddy to target almost 2,000 victims globally will be sentenced at the end of the year.

Abdul Hasib Elahi, 26, blackmailed vulnerable victims around the world into sending humiliating and degrading videos and pictures of themselves and others, which he then sold online.

He also ran online “masterclasses” teaching fellow perverts how to abuse children and obtain indecent images without being caught.

Posing as a wealthy stockbroker on ‘Sugar daddy’ websites, he targeted victims in 20 countries worldwide and has been described by the National Crime Agency as one of the most prolific offenders they have ever investigated.

Identifying victims who were in debt, he promised them thousands of pounds in return for naked images of themselves.

Once he had the pictures, he then blackmailed his targets, forcing them to record videos as they sexually abused young children.

In some clips, Elahi even made his victims perform acts of mutilation on themselves.

He then sold the videos online as “box sets” via Telegram app, making more than £25,000.

Elahi admitted 158 offences, but the NCA believe that this figure represents only the tip of the iceberg of his offending.

He had been due to be sentenced at Birmingham Crown Court yesterday, but the hearing was adjourned and will now take place in December.

NCA agents uncovered evidence of at least 196 victims in the UK, but almost 2,000 in countries around the world including the United States, Australia, Canada and New Zealand.

Investigators found more than 67,000 indecent images of children on Elahi’s numerous devices.

The court heard that such is the scope of Elahi’s offending, it will take the sentencing judge the best part of two days just to read the Crown Prosecution Service’s case opening, which runs to 326 pages.

Elahi was arrested in December 2018 following an allegation that he was blackmailing a 15-year-old girl in the United States.