‘Disgusting’ McCartney stole thousands of childhoods, says lead detective

Alexander McCartney’s “relentless” and “disgusting” offending wreaked devastation and stole thousands of childhoods, a senior detective has said.

Detective Chief Superintendent Eamonn Corrigan from the Police Service of Northern Ireland said the offending of the catfish paedophile was on an “industrial scale”.

The PSNI was joined by Northern Ireland’s Public Prosecution Service and the US Department of Homeland Security in welcoming the sentencing of McCartney on Friday.

Mr Corrigan said detectives had been determined to bring McCartney before the courts to answer for his crimes.

“And today we have done just that,” he added.

“McCartney is nothing but a disgusting child predator who was posing as young girls online to groom, manipulate and sexually abuse his victims, as young as four, to satisfy his own sexual perversions and that of other online child sexual offenders.

“We have worked tirelessly around the clock on this case with international…