Leeds Man Jailed After Online Abuse Campaign Targeted 117 Girls Worldwide, Forcing More Than 100 Into Sexual Activity and Self-Harm

Leeds, England — August 10, 2026 — Justin Swaddle, 20, of Leeds, has been sentenced to two years in prison after pleading guilty to multiple child sexual abuse offenses and blackmail connected to 117 female victims across several countries. All identified victims were between 13 and 17 years old.

Swaddle pleaded guilty to all offenses at Leeds Crown Court on July 2. He was sentenced at the same court on August 10 and will remain subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for 10 years. He must also sign the National Sex Offenders Register.

His Honour Judge Kelson KC described Swaddle as “a predatory shark preying on children swimming in the dark waters of the internet.” The judge characterized the offending as “one of the more extreme cases” brought before the court.

Swaddle was 17 when he committed the offenses. He operated through Snapchat, Telegram and Discord under aliases that included “Epstein,” “Rugen” and “Moscow.” Investigators determined that he participated in a Com group, an online criminal community in which members coerce victims into sexual activity, self-harm and other abusive conduct.

The National Crime Agency said Com groups maintain international memberships and use messaging applications, social networks and gaming platforms to reach victims and distribute abusive material. Offenders may seek status and notoriety within the group by obtaining and sharing shocking content rather than acting solely for money or sexual gratification.

West Yorkshire Police first arrested Swaddle in October 2023 for offenses involving the possession, creation and distribution of indecent images. His digital devices were seized, allowing investigators to examine his communications and broader online activity.

The National Crime Agency assumed responsibility for the investigation in January 2024. Examinations of Swaddle’s telephone and computer uncovered hundreds of conversations involving young female victims and sexual content.

Investigators identified 117 victims worldwide, including eight in the United Kingdom. The agency used its International Liaison Officer network to work with law enforcement authorities in the United States, Canada, Australia, Norway and New Zealand. That cooperation allowed authorities to identify victims, speak with them and take safeguarding action across several jurisdictions.

Swaddle gained access to personal information belonging to his victims, including names, home addresses and school details. He then used that information and previously obtained intimate material to threaten further exposure if his demands were refused.

Victims were pressured into supplying additional sexual images, participating in recorded activity and injuring themselves. Images recovered from Swaddle’s devices showed victims with self-inflicted injuries and his online aliases carved into their skin.

One 17-year-old victim told investigators that she met Swaddle through Discord in November 2022 before communications moved to Snapchat. Swaddle obtained information about her identity, home and school, then used threats and changes in his behavior to pressure her into continuing.

The victim later learned that Swaddle had recorded calls involving sexual activity and shared them with a group. He threatened to use her personal information and disclose the material unless she provided further images and recordings.

Telegram messages recovered from Swaddle’s device also showed that he attempted to incite one child to sexually abuse a younger child and record the act. He threatened to release indecent material if additional content was not supplied.

Investigators recovered indecent images of children across Categories A through C, with Category A representing the most severe classification. The children depicted in the recovered material were estimated to be between three and 17 years old. Several images showed conduct that Swaddle had directed or encouraged.

The abuse extended beyond obtaining images. Swaddle combined grooming, possession of personal information, threats of public exposure and pressure from an online group to maintain control over victims. Contacting a victim’s parents or school was presented as a punishment, turning ordinary sources of support into instruments of fear.

Danielle Pownall, operations manager with the National Crime Agency, said Swaddle targeted young and vulnerable victims around the world and frightened them into sexual and self-harm activity to build popularity among his online peers. She said the number of individuals involved in Com groups remains relatively small, but the harm inflicted upon victims can be severe and enduring.

The agency credited West Yorkshire Police, international law enforcement partners and specialist prosecutors from the Crown Prosecution Service with assisting the investigation and prosecution.

The National Crime Agency is coordinating the United Kingdom’s response to Com groups with law enforcement, healthcare and safeguarding organizations. That work is focused on understanding how young people enter these communities, identifying criminal conduct and finding opportunities for prevention and early intervention.

Parents, caregivers and education professionals are encouraged to maintain regular and nonjudgmental communication with children about online activity. A child facing coercion may remain silent if disclosure is expected to bring blame, punishment or the loss of internet access. Providing a trusted route to assistance can help expose threats before an offender gains further control.

The case demonstrates how online coercion can cross national boundaries without requiring physical contact between an offender and victim. A single individual using several platforms was able to target more than 100 girls, collect personal information, distribute abusive material and use an international peer group to reinforce the offending. Swaddle’s guilty pleas, prison sentence and decade-long prevention order bring the criminal case to a conclusion while safeguarding work continues for the victims affected by his actions.

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