Caleb Courtman

A depraved sex offender from Swansea, Wales, has been imprisoned for targeting more than 100 young girls across the UK through online grooming and blackmail. Caleb Courtman, aged 20, engaged in sexually explicit conversations with children as young as nine on social media platforms, pressuring them into sending intimate photographs and videos, and coercing them into performing sex acts on camera.

The case came to light in December 2022 when South Wales Police received information about indecent images uploaded to the internet via accounts linked to Courtman. Upon his arrest, officers seized his phones and laptops, uncovering more than 2,000 indecent images and videos of children, some sourced directly from his victims. Released on bail, Courtman continued his offending, with the behaviour becoming increasingly insidious, leading to a second arrest in February 2023.

At Swansea Crown Court, Judge Paul Thomas KC described Courtman as a 'deeply entrenched paedophile' who posed a 'quite exceptionally high risk of serious harm' to young girls. The court heard that Courtman had sent explicit photographs of himself to the children and discussed them visiting his home in Swansea for sex. He had pleaded guilty to 35 offences, including engaging in sexual communications with a child, inciting and causing children (some under 13) to engage in sexual activity, possession and distribution of indecent images across categories A, B, and C, voyeurism, and blackmail. An additional 98 offences were taken into consideration.

• Police identified and safeguarded 142 child victims, with ongoing efforts to locate others contacted by Courtman.
• Detective Constable Natalie Revers from South Wales Police commended the bravery of the victims and their families, stating: 'This has been a shocking and disturbing investigation... We urge anyone who believes they may have been a victim of online sexual abuse to report it to police.'

Prosecutor Dyfed Thomas outlined the months-long pattern of offending, while defence barrister Jon Tarrant offered limited mitigation, citing Courtman's age and guilty pleas, acknowledging an extended sentence was inevitable. Courtman, of Davies Row, Treboeth, Swansea, was given an extended 24-year sentence in a young offenders institution and placed on the sex offenders register for life. The investigation highlights the dangers of online exploitation, with South Wales Police continuing support for affected families.