A man who masqueraded as the Canadian singer to gain explicit images from children has been charged with over 900 child sex related offences Queensland Police said.

He was charged with 931 crimes, including three of rape, involving 157 alleged victims across the globe. Detective Inspector Jon Rouse called the allegations “frankly horrendous” and warned young fans of the singer and parents to be vigilant.

“The fact that so many children could believe that they were communicating with this particular celebrity highlights the need for a serious rethink about the way that we as a society educate our children about online safety,” said Mr Rouse.

Queensland Police confirmed the investigation also involved international authorities. According to local media they are German police and US Homeland Security.

Of the alleged victims, 50 were in the US, up to 20 were in the UK and six were in Australia, police said. More precise information was still being gathered.

Mr Rouse said the allegations showed “the global reach and skill that child sex offenders have to groom and seduce victims”.

He urged parents to help keep children safe online.

Protecting your children online

Anyone who is concerned about sexualised images of children online can get further information and report the images to Child Exploitation & Online Protection Centre (CEOP). You can also report child sexual abuse content and non-photographic child sexual abuse images to the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF).

Child Sexual Exploitation is happening in Warwickshire.
Something’s Not Right is the acclaimed multi agency child sexual exploitation campaign and continues to raise awareness of CSE and offer support in Warwickshire. The campaign encourages people to think about situations they may see or be involved in on a daily basis and if Something’s Not Right seek professional advice and guidance. Don’t risk ignoring it. Call 01926 684490 to discuss your concerns or visit http://warwickshirecse.co.uk

 

For more information about our work, please visit www.safeinwarwickshire.com/cybercrime

Cyber Aware is a cross-government campaign, funded by the National Cyber Security Programme. They aim to measurably and significantly improve the online safety behaviour and confidence of consumers and small businesses (SMEs).

Get Safe Online is the UK’s leading source of factual and easy-to-understand information on online safety. Their website offers advice on how you can protect yourself, your computers and devices, and your business against the likes of fraud, identity theft, viruses and other potential online problems