Groomer posed as girl,12, to extort sexual images

Ben Thompson posed as a girl to build a rapport with his victims before demanding indecent images, police say

A "calculated and depraved" man who persuaded dozens of teenage boys to send him sexual photos by pretending to be a 12-year-old girl online has been jailed.

Ben Thompson, 23, from Bolton, had more than 1,000 indecent images and videos which he had extorted from children, Greater Manchester Police said.

In June 2020, the parents of an 11-year-old boy had reported that their son had been groomed and this led to two million photos being found on Thompson's devices.

He was given a four-year sentence.

Thompson had pretended to be a girl called Erin, using the alias Erinstewart788 and targeted teenagers in the north-west of England, as well as the North East and South West.

Detectives said when some of the teenagers refused to send photos he would threaten them, saying: "Block me and you'll regret it."

He was tracked via his fake account to an address in Lostock, Bolton where he was arrested on 12 November 2020.

'Vile threats'

Thompson admitted 28 counts of inciting a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity and sexual communications with underage children as well possessing indecent images.

He was put on the sex offenders' register for life and will be subject to a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

Det Sgt Matt Quayle said: “Thompson is a calculated and depraved individual who coerced teenage boys into sexual behaviour for his own perverse sexual gratification.

"When they didn’t comply, he sent them vile threats which we know had a huge impact on the young victims and their mental health."