London, Jan 25 (IANS) A man has been imprisoned in Britain for six years for blackmailing young American teenage girls into sending him their nude photographs.
Jonathan Murphy, from Wirral in the northwest of England, told his victims that if he did not receive the photographs, he would personally visit the US and kidnap them, the Daily Mail reported.
Murphy, 35, used to pretend being a good-looking teenager and convinced his prospective victims to show themselves via a webcam and having complied, he then would use the footage to obtain further images.
He also sent girls’ incriminating footage to their friends via Facebook.
He pleaded guilty to three offences of blackmail and a further 26 offences of downloading and distributing indecent images.
Judge David Fletcher told Murphy, 35, that “blackmail is one of the most vicious crimes in the calendar of wicked offences. It is appalling behaviour, vicious and nasty”.
“I don’t know if you really appreciate the way in which you wrecked the lives of these young girls,” the judge added.