Convicted sex offender jailed for two and a half years for tricking women into sending intimate pictures.

William Neil Summerson, a former archaeologist, was sentenced to two and a half years in prison for using social media and dating apps to manipulate five women into sending him explicit images. Summerson, of West Moors Road, Ferndown, had previously been convicted of similar offenses three years earlier when he posed as a top model agent.

Summerson used various online personas, including a potential suitor, a female modeling scout, and even an American businessman, to gain the trust of his victims. Once he had built trust, he would demand intimate pictures, threatening to create a website with the images and send them to the victim's family, friends, and colleagues if they refused.

In some cases, Summerson went further, demanding that victims engage in explicit acts on Skype or secretly record themselves having sex with strangers for his gratification. Two victims were coerced into performing sex acts on themselves during live Skype calls.

One victim, who was tricked into sending intimate pictures on Christmas Day, later considered suicide after realizing she had been conned.

After one victim reported the crime, authorities traced Summerson's IP address and arrested him. Other victims, from across the UK, then came forward with their own experiences.

Summerson, who was already on the sex offenders register, pleaded guilty to a string of charges related to his actions, including causing women to undress, take photos of themselves, and perform sexual acts on themselves.

Judge Peter Crabtree described the crimes as "carefully planned deceptions" and stated that Summerson "acted out of a compulsion to get sexual gratification." The judge also expressed concern that Summerson posed a high risk of reoffending.

Summerson targeted his victims between August 14, 2015, and December 25, 2016.