Teenager jailed for sexually abusing 37 girls online

A teenager has been jailed for eight years after admitting sexually abusing 37 girls online, in a case which a judge said “highlights the dangers of children having unsupervised access to social media”.

Cory Jones, 19, was sentenced at Cardiff Crown Court after pleading guilty to 69 offences including blackmail, causing a child to engage in sexual activity and distributing indecent images.

Judge Jeremy Jenkins said he believed Jones, described as socially isolated and “a loner”, had been “corrupted” by watching pornography.

Jones contacted 37 children aged between 10 and 16, gaining their trust before asking them to send explicit photos and videos of themselves, over a two-year period.

When some of the children refused further requests, he blackmailed them into sending more sexually explicit images, saying he would publish previously sent images on social media.

Sexual photos

Jones, of Ynyswen, Rhondda Cynon Taf, also sent sexual photos and videos of himself to the children.

After his arrest, there were 172 indecent images of children found on his phone.

The court heard Jones contacted his victims on the messaging platform Snapchat, sometimes using an alias and lying about his age, and would ask them for nude photographs and videos.

James Wilson, prosecuting, told the court the victims felt “sick”, “betrayed” and “creeped out” when Jones demanded explicit images.

One victim, aged 12 at the time of the offences, said in a statement: “When this first happened to me, it made me feel very nervous and upset.

“I was worried that people would find out what I had done and treat me differently.

“Since telling the police, I’ve had some counselling… I blame myself for everything, really.

“I still find it very hard to talk about.”

Another victim said: “I trusted him and I thought he was my friend.

“He has made me feel stupid for believing everything he said to me.”

Remorse

John Ryan, defending, urged the judge to consider Jones’s lack of maturity and his age at the time of the offending, which took place between 2022 and 2024, adding that he feels genuine remorse.

Sentencing Jones, Judge Jenkins said: “This was a substantial investigation which led to no fewer than 37 young females making complaints against you.

“You would groom some of them by showing them sexual images and coerce them into sending intimate photographs.

“The effect on those individuals and their families was devastating and the harm that you caused them will remain, I’m quite sure, for many years to come.

“If ever there was a case that highlights the dangers of children having unsupervised access to social media, then surely this is it.

“Each was vulnerable, impressionable and naive. You took full advantage and exploited them for your own sexual gratification.

“I have no doubt in my mind that you have been corrupted by watching pornography.

“You have a completely distorted view of loving relationships and matters sexually.”

Jones was sentenced to eight years in jail and will serve a minimum of five years and four months before being released.

He will also be on the sex offenders’ register for life.

Manipulative

Lisa McCarthy, of the Crown Prosecution Service, said: “Cory Jones was deceptive and manipulative, coercing children to engage in acts to satisfy his own sexual gratification and blackmailing some by threatening to publish sexually exploitative images on social media when they refused.

“This was a substantial and complex investigation, with the number of child victims quite shocking.

“This case was brought as a result of significant liaison between the CPS and South Wales Police.

“The CPS would like to thank the victims for the courage they have shown in bringing Cory Jones to justice.”