Ethan Owen Sent Explicit Messages to Young Girls After Meeting Them on Fortnite

A "dangerous offender" with a history of sexual offences was sentenced to an extended prison term after sending explicit messages and content to two young girls he met on the online gaming platform Fortnite.

Ethan Owen, 30, was already a registered sex offender for life and under a sexual harm prevention order when he befriended the primary school-aged girls in the game. He then added them to a WhatsApp group where he shared inappropriate images and videos, inciting sexual activity and requesting explicit content from one of the victims.

Prosecuting Martha Smith-Higgins told Cardiff Crown Court that Owen's messages were "horrible" and disturbing, featuring naked adults engaged in sexual acts. One victim described the material as "disturbing," highlighting the severity of the abuse. Owen also threatened to visit one girl's home and harm her.

Owen has a long history of sexual offences dating back to 2009 when he was 15 years old. He has multiple convictions for various offenses, including breaches of his sexual harm prevention order and threats of violence. Despite this pattern of offending, Owen’s defense attorney argued that none of his previous convictions involved physical contact with victims.

Judge Francis emphasized the seriousness of Owen's actions, stating that they occurred in a context of repeated harmful behavior. She declared him a "dangerous offender" for the second time and imposed an extended sentence of five years and four months in prison, followed by five years on license.

Owen will remain under a sexual harm prevention order for life and remain on the sex offenders' register indefinitely.