‘It’s not worth taking your life over sextortion’

A mother whose 16-year-old son took his own life after a 'sextortion' plot has pleaded with other victims to speak out and get help.

Murray Dowey, from Dunblane, was targeted by criminals in the blackmail scheme involving intimate pictures sent online.

The 16-year-old was contacted by someone posing as a young woman and tricked into sending an image.

Murray's mother, Ros, found him dead in his bedroom the next morning.

She said: "It just happened within the space of a few hours. He went from being a happy, healthy teenager to taking his own life"

Ros said the social media companies aren't doing enough to protect young people.

The BBC found sextortion guides were being sold on social media.

Murray's mother pleaded for others in the same situation to seek help.

"Put your phone down, block the person and speak up. It's not worth taking your own life", she added.