ONLINE SEX BLACKMAILER HAS BEEN JAILED FOR 24 YEARS
In a disturbing case that has sent shockwaves through the community of Lowestoft and beyond, Anthony Burns, a 39-year-old man from Suffolk, has been found guilty of a series of heinous crimes involving the online abuse and exploitation of women and children across the globe.The National Crime Agency (NCA) revealed that Burns, who previously resided in Lowestoft, was responsible for controlling and coercing a total of 27 women between the years 2018 and 2020, leaving many of his victims severely traumatised and emotionally scarred.
Burns’s criminal activities extended far beyond local boundaries.
The NCA stated that he attempted to target approximately 600 individuals worldwide, including victims in the United States, Australia, and various parts of the United Kingdom, such as Wiltshire and the Channel Islands.
His methods were calculated and manipulative, often involving the use of fake identities, multiple phone numbers, and false profile images to conceal his true identity and evade detection.
He was charged with a total of 46 counts, encompassing a wide range of serious offences.
These included blackmail, attempted blackmail, causing a child under the age of 13 to engage in sexual activity, arranging the commission of a child sex offence, producing and distributing indecent images of children, possessing extreme pornography, malicious communications, and failing to comply with notification requirements.
Burns admitted to 39 of these charges and was convicted of two additional counts at trial.
The remaining five charges will be formally left on file.
It was also disclosed that Burns had prior convictions related to child abuse, adding to the gravity of his criminal record.
The NCA described his conduct as exhibiting “remorseless cruelty,” highlighting the calculated and malicious nature of his actions.
His online activities often involved engaging with women through “sugar daddy” websites and dating platforms, where he would establish contact and manipulate victims into performing sexual acts.
One particularly disturbing case from August 2020 was brought to court, where Burns was accused of directing a woman in the United States to perform sexual acts on herself and to abuse a young girl.
Prosecutors revealed that Burns instructed the woman, who has also been imprisoned for her role in the abuse, to carry out these acts, demonstrating his direct involvement in orchestrating abuse across borders.
To facilitate his manipulative schemes, Burns frequently adopted different identities and used various phone numbers, along with fake profile photos.
Sometimes, he posed as a modelling agent, engaging women in conversations that would later be transferred to WhatsApp.
There, he would solicit explicit photos and videos in exchange for money, which he never paid.
During video calls, Burns kept his camera off but exerted control over the victims, persuading them to perform increasingly explicit acts.
Court proceedings revealed that he would record these calls and threaten to share the images with victims’ families and friends unless they sent more depraved material.
Burns’s arrest followed a comprehensive investigation by the NCA, with assistance from the FBI.
His devices were seized, and authorities uncovered evidence of his attempts to manipulate and exploit numerous victims.
The authorities believe that Burns’s activities are ongoing, with efforts underway to identify additional victims and bring them to justice.
Judge Sarah Buckingham announced that Burns would face sentencing at Birmingham Crown Court in January.
She indicated that he was likely to receive a “significant” custodial sentence, reflecting the severity of his crimes and the impact on his victims.
Robert Slater, the NCA’s operations manager, condemned Burns’s actions, emphasizing his “remorseless cruelty in controlling and coercing his victims,” and underscoring the importance of ongoing investigations to protect others from similar predatory behavior.
