Man jailed for online sex abuse of teen boys

A sexual predator has been jailed for 10 years after he targeted more than 100 boys online.

Conor Brady, 32, from Basildon, Essex, used fake personas, often pretending to be a teenage girl, encouraging and inciting boys aged 13 to 17 to expose themselves or commit sexual acts.

Without their knowledge, he would use screen recording software to capture his criminal activity for blackmail.

"This was one of the most horrific and far-reaching cases I have worked on," said lead investigator Det Sgt Nicola Hadfield.

"This offender tricked and manipulated his victims and then stored the videos and images he had captured."

Brady used social media platforms, such as Instagram and Snapchat, to communicate with boys. He also uploaded indecent videos of children to the internet.

He was arrested in November 2022, and a warrant was executed at his home in Long Riding, where he lived in a self-contained unit at the bottom of a garden.

Following a three-year complex and painstaking investigation, which included identifying, speaking to and supporting a number of victims, Brady was charged.

He pleaded guilty to 47 charges on Friday, 24 October at Basildon Crown Court.

Judge Samantha Cohen said: "The harm you have caused your victims is incalculable."

He was jailed for 10 years with a further six years on extended licence.

He was also placed on the sex offenders register for life and given a lifetime Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

Det Sgt Hadfield added: "I want to acknowledge the impact this offending has had on the victims and survivors. Their resilience and fortitude throughout this investigation has been resolute.

"I would say to anyone who has concerns they have been targeted in this way to come forward and tell us, we will listen and we will thoroughly investigate."

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