Raħal Ġdid: 26-Year-Old Man Arrested for Online Child Sexual Abuse
A 26-year-old man from Gozo has been arrested after he allegedly used a fake online profile to coerce various people, including minors, to send indecent photographs and perform sexual acts in front of the camera.
Raħal Ġdid: 26-Year-Old Man Arrested for Online Child Sexual Abuse
A 26-year-old man from Gozo has been arrested after he allegedly used a fake online profile to coerce various people, including minors, to send indecent photographs and perform sexual acts in front of the camera.
The individual allegedly presented himself as a 17-year-old boy and used photographs of real social media users to build trust. He allegedly began threatening the victims, some of whom are just 10 years old, that he would expose them to their schools and communities if they did not comply, according to reports.
His arrest came after two men reported that their photographs had been misused. Police seized electronic devices from his home, confirmed his identity, and are appealing to other victims, particularly minors, to come forward.
He is expected to be charged in court shortly.
Police also issued a public appeal for people to remain vigilant when using social media and to avoid sharing personal or sensitive photographs with strangers.
"Our appeal is that you remain vigilant when using social media, avoid sharing personal or sensitive photographs with strangers, and report any suspicious behaviour to the Police," said the authorities.
The force also urged anyone who may have experienced similar misconduct, or who has information that could help with ongoing investigations, to come forward and contact the police.
The authorities emphasised that online abuse can affect everyone and urged the public to report concerns as soon as possible.
Source: Lovin Malta