Anthony Burns

Anthony Burns, a 39-year-old man originally from Lowestoft in Suffolk, has been jailed for 24 years after admitting to a series of depraved online blackmail offences that targeted dozens of victims across the UK, USA, and Australia. Operating between 2018 and 2020, Burns exploited dating sites and sugar daddy platforms to lure victims, tricking them into sharing personal details before subjecting them to relentless extortion. He demanded that victims film themselves in sexually degrading acts, including the abuse of a seven-year-old girl, which he recorded in a 25-minute video. Burns' actions, described in court as 'mental torture', left many victims suicidal, with some self-harming or attempting to take their own lives.

The court at Birmingham Crown Court heard how Burns had learned his blackmail techniques from Abdul Elahi, a notorious predator jailed for 32 years in 2021 for targeting around 2,000 people worldwide. Elahi tutored Burns on the psychology of extortion, providing scripted wording to build trust and instructions on handling resistance. Burns attempted to contact approximately 600 individuals with the intent to sexually exploit them, succeeding with 35 victims. In one particularly harrowing case, he directed a woman in the United States to perform sex acts and then ordered her to abuse a seven-year-old girl while he watched and recorded. Prosecutor Kate Temple-Mabe detailed how Burns' carefully orchestrated threats—to post compromising videos online or contact family members—terrified victims into compliance, with every communication driven by his desire to force degrading acts that he would screenshot for further leverage.

Burns pleaded guilty to more than 40 charges, including 26 counts of blackmail, six relating to indecent images of children, and two of causing a child to engage in sexual activity. The judge, Sarah Buckingham, condemned his 'depravity and callousness' in her sentencing remarks, stating: 'You did not care about the anguish you caused and had complete disregard for your victims’ suffering.' She noted his lack of remorse and his perverse interests, including sexual activity with animals. Burns had prior convictions, including for grooming a 14-year-old schoolgirl in 2010 when he was 25. Eight women read victim personal statements in court, recounting the devastating impact: one businesswoman feared for her life, saying Burns might visit her home to attack or murder her; another described how the ordeal ruined her life and left her feeling unsafe; a third spoke of crippling panic attacks and feeling physically sick after being blackmailed into producing a 'disgusting video'. Defence barrister Hugh Forgan attempted mitigation by citing Burns' pornography addiction and past trauma, such as the death of a partner in a car crash, but emphasised that Burns' operation was not a commercial enterprise like Elahi's.

National Crime Agency operations manager Robert Slater branded Burns 'a revolting sexual offender', praising the victims' courage in providing evidence. Specialist prosecutor Bethany Raine from the Crown Prosecution Service highlighted how Burns belittled and humiliated women, trapping them in a web of fear through manipulation and extortion. The case underscores the sinister reach of online sexual predators, with Burns' conviction serving as a stark warning against such exploitation.