Dr Matthew Falder, 28, pleaded guilty to 137 offences – including blackmailing victims into sending him severe abuse images of themselves and sharing them on the dark web
A Cambridge University graduate has pleaded guilty to 137 offences – including blackmailing victims into sending him severe abuse images of themselves and sharing them on the dark web.
Dr Matthew Falder, 28, also admitted charges of causing the sexual exploitation of a child, voyeurism, making and distributing indecent images of children and encouraging the rape of a four-year-old.
Since 2010, the Birmingham University employee degraded and humiliated more than 50 victims online using the names ‘666devil’ and ‘evilmind’.
He had been preying on his victims for at least eight years before being eventually unmasked by spies from GCHQ and arrested on June 21 this year.
Falder, of Edgbaston, Birmingham, posed as a female on sites such as Gumtree to trick his victims into sending him naked or partially-clothed images of themselves.
The disgraced geophysicist then threatened to expose his victims if they did not send severe and depraved abuse images of themselves.
He distributed the images, including some which showed babies and children being tortured, on the dark web, and discussed them at length to humiliate and degrade the people who were the subject of the pictures.
Some of his victims were so traumatised that they self-harmed or attempted suicide.
Since 2010, the Birmingham University employee degraded and humiliated more than 50 victims online using the names ‘666devil’ and ‘evilmind’
Falder, of Edgbaston, Birmingham, posed as a female on sites such as Gumtree to trick his victims into sending him naked or partially-clothed images of themselves
His father Stephen Falder told Sky News: ‘This has turned our lives upside down. It came as a complete shock and the family is totally devastated.’
The case is the National Crime Agency’s first in ‘hurt core’ offending – the hidden web forums dedicated to the discussion of and video sharing of ‘dark’ material.
Judge Philip Parker QC remanded Falder into custody until December 7, when he will be sentenced at Birmingham Crown Court.
Ruona Iguyovwe, from the Crown Prosecution Service’s International Justice and Organised Crime Division, said: ‘Matthew Falder is a highly manipulative individual who used his knowledge of computers and the internet to persuade dozens of young people to supply him with degrading images he could distribute online and subsequently use in blackmailing them.
‘He clearly enjoyed humiliating his victims and the impact of his offending, which carried on over several years, has been significant.’
The disgraced geophysicist threatened to expose his victims if they did not send severe and depraved abuse images of themselves
Matt Sutton, National Crime Agency senior investigating officer, said: ‘In 30 years of law enforcement I have never come across such horrifying offending where the offender’s sole aim was to cause such pain and distress.
‘There are more than 50 victims in this case and I commend them for their bravery in helping us convict a truly evil offender.
‘It has been an extremely complex investigation into a prolific online predator, who over several years believed he could evade law enforcement to sexually and sadistically exploit vulnerable victims.’
A Cambridge University spokesman said: ‘We can confirm that Falder was a student between 2007 and 2016.
Falder worked at the University of Birmingham, pictured. He was arrested there by NCA officers (stock photo)
‘We continue to offer support to anyone who has concerns about the case.
‘The university is deeply shocked and saddened by this case.
‘Our thoughts are with the victims of these awful crimes and with their families, who have no doubt been deeply affected by this.’
A spokesman for the University of Birmingham said: ‘The University is shocked to hear of the abhorrent crimes committed by a former post-doctoral researcher.
‘We have no reason to believe that the offences are in any way connected with the University.’
An NSPCC spokesman said: ‘By manipulating individuals online, Falder has caused unimaginable damage to victims who were subjected to the most horrendous abuse.
‘This case clearly demonstrates that at the heart of the vile trade of child abuse images and videos there are real victims who have gone through appalling suffering for them to be created.
‘Using the internet, Falder was able to commit appalling crimes without ever meeting his victims and the NSPCC believes that far more must be done to combat the growing issues of online sex offending and the distribution of child abuse images.’