Leeds man jailed over abuse campaign against 117 victims worldwide

Justin Swaddle, a man from Leeds, has been sentenced to two years in prison after a National Crime Agency investigation into a campaign of abuse linked to a Com group. The NCA said Swaddle forced more than 100 victims into sexual activity and self-harm, including cases where victims carved his online username into their bodies.

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Investigators said Swaddle, who was 17 at the time of the offending, was active across Snapchat, Telegram and Discord using usernames including "Epstein", "Rugen" and "Moscow". West Yorkshire Police first arrested him in October 2023 for offences including possession, making and distribution of indecent images.

The NCA took over the inquiry in January 2024 after his digital devices were seized and his online presence was examined. Officers said they found hundreds of conversations on his phone and computer, all involving young females and all sexual in nature.

The NCA identified 117 female victims worldwide, aged 13 to 17, including eight in the UK that Swaddle had been in communication with. Investigators said Com groups are online communities where members commit criminality, including coercing victims to physically harm or sexually abuse themselves.

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The NCA said one 17-year-old victim met Swaddle in November 2022 through Discord before moving to Snapchat, where the conversations became sexual and self-harm was discussed. She said Swaddle asked for nude images and told her to carve his username into her body.

She also said he obtained her name, address and school details, and threatened to use that information to pressure her for more images and videos. The victim said she complied because she did not want to upset him and said his mood changed if she refused.

She also said she became aware that he had recorded calls in which sexual activity took place and shared them with a group. Telegram messages recovered from Swaddle's device showed he had tried to incite a child to sexually abuse a younger child and record it for him, while threatening to leak indecent images if more content was not sent.

Officers found numerous images on Swaddle's device showing victims with self-harm injuries, including images of his aliases carved into skin. They also found indecent images of children in Categories A to C, with Category A the most severe.

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The NCA said images recovered from his devices showed children aged from three to 17, and that several acts were directed or encouraged by Swaddle. Using its International Liaison Officer network, the NCA worked with law enforcement partners in the USA, Canada, Australia, Norway and New Zealand to speak to and safeguard victims.

Swaddle was charged with a number of child sexual abuse offences and blackmail and pleaded guilty to all offences at Leeds Crown Court on 2 July. He was sentenced at the same court on 10 August and will be subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for 10 years.

He is also required to sign the National Sex Offenders Register. Judge HHJ Kelson KC described him as "a predatory shark preying on children swimming in the dark waters of the internet" and said it was "one of the more extreme cases" seen.

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