Belfast: Fake model agent who targeted children online jailed

As she jailed the McMahon, the judge spoke of the profound impact his offending has had on his "young and vulnerable" victims

A man who posed as a model agent to persuade children and young women to send him sexually explicit images before threatening to share them online has been jailed for two years.

Matthew McMahon will spend a further three years on licence.

His offending had a profound impact on his "young and vulnerable" victims, the judge said.

McMahon, 31, from Osbourne Court, Belfast, pleaded guilty to 23 charges in total.

These included intimidation, harassment and multiple offences involving indecent images and videos of children.

Belfast Crown Court heard that one 12-year-old victim threatened to take her own life if he released a sexually explicit recording of her, to which he typed the reply: "Ha ha ha."

He first began speaking to the girl online in November 2012 but did not show his face, the court heard.

He then set her a series of sexually-charged challenges, which he covertly recorded.

McMahon threatened to post the video online if she did not do even more explicit things on camera.

McMahon made initial contact with all of his victims online

The court was told of many other victims, including a 19-year-old woman who contacted police in May 2014 to say naked images of her had been posted online without her consent.

This victim said she had been contacted a month earlier via Skype by a male named 'Davy Jones', who said he had naked videos of her and threatened to share them online.

This was McMahon, who kept his webcam and microphone off during the exchange. He went on to send a link to a pornography site, which had a video of her getting undressed.

During the conversation, McMahon threatened to post more videos online if she did not give him a "live show" of sexual activity.

He later harassed her further by calling and texting her. This included sending her a topless picture of herself accompanied by the message: "All online."

Fake modelling agent

McMahon also targeted a 17-year-old via social media, who had signed up to various online modelling agencies.

Using a false name, and again not using a camera or microphone, he contacted her via Skype in January 2015 and claimed to be an agent from a company called Model Mayhem.

He asked the girl to pose in a variety of clothes before telling her to strip to her underwear.

He then asked her to perform a sexual act - she refused and turned her camera off.

He then sent a secret recording to the victim.

McMahon again posed as a modelling agent and made contact with a 16-year-old via Facebook. Over the course of several days, McMahon tricked her into sending him images of herself, including a topless picture.

McMahon did not appear on webcam during exchanges

McMahon's home was searched by police in August 2015.

A laptop, computer, hard drive and iPhone were seized - these were found to contain videos of his victims along with 312 indecent images and videos of children.

Interviewed by police in January and November 2017, he denied all the charges against him.

Asked about the videos and images, he said other people had access to the devices.

He denied any wrongdoing, then answered "no comment" to all other questions.

A defence lawyer said his client "now recognises the seriousness of what he did all those years ago" and that his behaviour was "unacceptable".

He added: "This case should be an example of the dangers of exposure to pornography at an early age and not being supervised, because that is the start of the downfall of this man."

'Nasty, planned and prolonged'

Judge Donna McColgan KC noted that McMahon's denials were maintained until earlier this year, which, combined with the pandemic, had caused delay in the case.

She said one victim, in a statement, spoke of her shame and embarrassment, and the impact the offences had on her mental health.

The judge branded McMahon's criminality as "a nasty, planned and prolonged set of offences in which there was real harm willingly and knowingly caused to these victims over a lengthy period of time".

She added that the offences involving the 12-year-old were "particularly abhorrent".

McMahon was also made the subject of a SOPO (Sexual Offences Prevention Order) and placed on the sex offenders register for life.