- Burns: Predatory online blackmailer
- 39 victims, global child abuse
- Sentenced to 24 years
Burns had 39 female and child victims, including an eight-year-old girl in the United States whose mother subjected her to maltreatment after prolonged coercion.
A 24-year prison sentence was imposed on an online predator who blackmailed dozens of women worldwide into committing sexual and degrading acts, including child abuse.
Anthony Burns, a native of Lowestoft, Suffolk, interacted with women on the internet under multiple online aliases.
He played the character of a model agency executive soliciting clients and a UK NCA officer on another occasion.
After establishing rapport with his victims, the 39-year-old would transition the conversation to WhatsApp.
The women were directed to record videos of themselves engaging in sexual activities with the expectation of receiving £600. However, the funds never materialized.
After accumulating a sufficient amount of explicit material, Burns issued a threat to reveal the images to their acquaintances and family members unless they continued to send him further deviant photographs and videos.
Burns claimed 39 victims, aged 8–54, including blackmailed women and abused children.
One US victim was an eight-year-old child whose mother abused her after Burns coerced her. FBI agents assisted in locating his victims in the United States.
Although the majority of his other victims resided in England, he also pursued individuals in Australia and the Channel Islands.
Judge Sarah Buckingham, imposing a 24-year prison term and an additional five-year period of parole after Burns’ eventual release, stated: “Your transgression transpired throughout two and a half years.
Your indifference towards the distress you inflicted and complete disregard for the suffering of your victims were evident.
She described the 39-year-old as “arrogant with a deep-seated cruel streak” who had inflicted “huge harm and distress.”
Extremely young children were profoundly traumatized by heartless cruelty.
Burns was detained by the NCA of the United Kingdom in February 2019.
Robert Slater, operations manager of the NCA, stated, “Anthony Burns coerced and controlled his victims, including very young children, into committing acts that have profoundly traumatised them with no remorse.”
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Burns was affiliated with and has been labeled a “pupil” of the infamous online child sex offender Abdul Elahi, who was sentenced to 32 years in prison by the same judge in December 2021 for depraved online abuse directed at 2,000 individuals worldwide.
Judge Buckingham further stated, “No encouragement was necessary for you.” “Of which you were a junior partner, you actively supported him.”
Burns was charged with 46 offenses after his apprehension, which included the following: blackmail, attempted blackmail, child sex offenses (including causing and arranging the commission of child sex activities against a child under 13), possession of extreme pornography, making and distributing indecent images of children, malicious communications offenses, and failure to comply with notification requirements.
He admitted 39 counts and was convicted of two more during a two-day trial at Birmingham Crown Court last August.
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