SEX OFFENDER SENT YOUNG GIRLS EXPLICIT MESSAGES AFTER MEETING THEM ON FORTNITE
A man classified as a 'dangerous offender' and registered sex offender with a history of multiple sexual crimes manipulated two young girls via WhatsApp, sending them sexual content and encouraging them to do the same.Ethan Owen, aged 30, was under a lifetime sexual harm prevention order at the time.
Prosecutor Martha Smith-Higgins informed Cardiff Crown Court that Owen met the two primary school-aged girls through a Fortnite game after they became friends online.
He then added them to a WhatsApp group called 'bad,' where his viewing of their profiles revealed they were children.
Within this group, Owen sent inappropriate messages promoting sexual acts.
One victim described the images and videos he shared as distressing, including explicit scenes with naked men and women.
The court was told the girls initially believed Owen was a typical person but their perception changed once he shared explicit images and videos involving his genitals, sexual activities with a woman, and solo sexual acts.
He requested one girl send a picture of her genitals and urged her to engage in sexual acts.
He also threatened to visit her home and harm her, and after being blocked, he attempted to contact her via his girlfriend's mobile phone.
Ms Smith-Higgins highlighted Owen's extensive criminal record, which includes seven convictions for 31 crimes.
His offences date back to 2009, when he was 15, and he is currently serving a 50-month sentence that was previously recalled.
Owen has repeatedly violated a sexual harm prevention order and has faced additional charges such as threatening behaviour and breaching a community order.
His solicitor, John Ryan, told the court that Owen is undergoing individual psychological treatment, which he finds beneficial.
Ryan emphasised that despite Owen’s numerous convictions, none involved physical contact.
During sentencing, Judge Francis emphasised that "none of this behaviour occurred in a vacuum." She noted that Owen engaged in sexual conversations with the girls, shared explicit images, and solicited intimate photos despite knowing their ages.
The judge stressed that Owen's offending pattern has persisted since adolescence and has remained similar over the years.
She recalled Owen’s previous convictions and noted that he was declared a dangerous offender in 2013, receiving an extended sentence.
The judge concluded: "You were deemed a dangerous offender then, and you are still considered one now." Owen pleaded guilty to all six charges at a pre-trial hearing, which included inciting a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity, two counts of engaging in sexual communication with a minor, two counts of exposing a child to explicit acts, and breaching a sexual harm prevention order.
He was sentenced to an extended five-year term comprising 40 months in custody and five years on licence.
The primary offence involved encouraging a child under 13 to perform sexual acts.
Owen will remain subject to a lifetime sexual harm prevention order and be on the sex offenders' register for life.
Fortnite’s developer, Epic Games, clarified the platform’s safety features: "In the UK, Fortnite accounts created for users under 13 are restricted from accessing features like voice or text chat until parental consent is given.
After consent, parents can set permissions such as who their child may communicate with ‘Everybody,’ ‘Friends and Teammates,’ ‘Friends Only,’ or turn chat off entirely.
Parents can also enforce a PIN requirement for sending or accepting friend requests.
Fortnite does not allow users to upload images or videos or host video chats through its chat features.
Moreover, players have tools to block, mute, and report others, with the ability to submit audio or text evidence when violations of community rules are suspected, enabling appropriate actions to be taken."
