Prolific Sex Offender Jailed for Targeting Children Online

Mark Anthony Wilson, a 35-year-old from Stokesley, North Yorkshire, has been sentenced to six years and eight months in prison for a series of sexual offenses against children.

Wilson, who targeted children and teenagers across the country through social media, was found guilty of 27 offenses at York Magistrates Court.

The court heard that Wilson would ask for intimate photographs and videos from his victims, threatening to expose them and their families if they refused. He also posted indecent images of children online, leaving them feeling frightened, humiliated, and degraded.

In one case, Wilson sent a mother a video of her naked teenage son. In another, he sent racially offensive, abusive, and sexual messages to a 16-year-old girl, threatening to post videos on YouTube claiming her father had raped her.

During their investigation, officers found that Wilson had obtained images and a video of a seven-year-old's genitals after exchanging over 200 messages and Facetime calls with the child.

Wilson also had indecent images of an eight-year-old girl and had exchanged 1,149 messages with her.

Detective Constable Karen Barugh said, "Wilson committed multiple malicious and sexual offenses against children and caused them great distress. They must have been terrified at the thought of him carrying out his threats. Despite being arrested, he continued to commit offenses while on bail, his offending increasing in severity over time. He was prolific in his targeting of children and has shown no remorse for what he did."

Barugh added, "I'd like to thank those children and young people who were brave enough to come forward and give a statement to the police. I would urge anyone else to do the same if they are a victim of any type of sexual offense."