MARK YEELLES SOUTH SHIELDS INTERNET PERVERT CAUGHT IN HORRIFIC WEB OF BLACKMAIL AND SEX TAPE REVELATIONS

In a disturbing case that has shocked the community of South Shields, Mark Yeeles, a 20-year-old man, was involved in a heinous online scheme targeting a vulnerable 14-year-old girl. The incident, which came to light in Newcastle Crown Court, revealed a pattern of malicious behavior that included blackmail, coercion into sexual acts, and the possession of indecent images, all orchestrated through the internet.

Yeeles, residing on St Vincent Street in South Shields, used digital threats to manipulate and intimidate his young victim. He obtained a photograph of her wearing only underwear and then threatened to distribute this image to her family and friends unless she complied with his increasingly depraved demands. The court heard that Yeeles warned her, saying, “Your family are going to love a naked picture or two,” and issued similar warnings if she refused or tried to ignore his requests. The victim, overwhelmed by fear and shame, was pushed to the brink of suicide, especially after Yeeles ordered her to involve a friend in an eight-hour online rape re-enactment, instructing both girls over webcam on what acts to perform.

During the proceedings, it was revealed that Yeeles had kept a collection of the videos and images he coerced the girls into creating on his computer. The girls were subjected to vile and depraved acts, with Yeeles leaving them alone for about a year before making further contact, which prompted them to report the abuse to authorities. The court was told that the victim was so distressed by the ordeal that she was receiving psychiatric care, and both girls were left with lasting emotional scars.

In August 2014, Yeeles was initially sentenced to six years in prison, with an additional two-year extended license period, which could have resulted in a total of eight years behind bars. Judge Guy Whitburn described Yeeles’s actions as having “ruined these two young girls’ lives,” emphasizing the severity of his crimes and the importance of protecting children from online predators. The prosecution, led by Gavin Doig, highlighted how Yeeles’s approach involved exploiting the victim’s vulnerability after obtaining a compromising photograph of her.

Yeeles’s threats and coercion extended to encouraging the girl to recruit another underage girl for a similar online rape re-enactment, with instructions given over the internet. The court heard that Yeeles’s manipulative tactics included promising to destroy all the images if the victims complied, but evidence later showed he kept a collection of the videos on his computer, indicating a clear intent to retain and possibly distribute the material.

However, on the day of the review, the sentence was reduced to five and a half years in prison, with the extended license removed. The decision was made after both the prosecution and defense argued that the original sentence was “unlawful” because some of the maximum sentence restrictions related to certain charges had not been properly considered during the initial sentencing. Judge Paul Sloan QC reviewed the case under the Power of Criminal Courts Sentencing Act 2000, leading to the reduction.

Throughout the proceedings, the court underscored the vulnerability of young children to online predators like Yeeles and the importance of stringent sentencing to deter such behavior. The case serves as a stark reminder of the dangers lurking on the internet and the devastating impact of exploitation and blackmail on innocent victims, especially minors from South Shields and beyond.