Alexander McCartney sentenced in U.K. court for "catfishing" thousands, including U.S. girl who died by suicide
CBSN
A Northern Ireland man was sentenced Friday to a minimum of 20 years in prison after being found guilty by a U.K. court in what has been described as the biggest criminal "catfishing" case in the country. Alex McCartney, 26, had pleaded guilty earlier this year to a charge of manslaughter in a Northern Ireland court after a young American girl who was among the thousands of alleged victims he blackmailed online died by suicide.
McCartney had admitted to a total of 185 charges involving 70 child victims in court — including blackmail, inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and producing and distributing indecent images of children. He was also held culpable for the death of 12-year-old Cimarron Thomas in West Virginia, according to the U.K.'s Press Association news agency.
Thomas, who lived in West Virginia with her mother, father and siblings, died of suicide in May 2018. During her online interactions with McCartney, authorties say he attempted to coerce her into sending graphic images involving a younger sibling.
British police on Tuesday arrested the captain of a cargo ship on suspicion of manslaughter as they searched for answers about why it hit a tanker transporting jet fuel for the U.S. military off eastern England a day earlier, setting both vessels ablaze. One sailor was presumed dead in the collision.
London — An American man who said he was among the crew on the MV Stena Immaculate tanker when it was hit Monday by a cargo ship, causing both vessels to burst into flames off England's east coast, told CBS News the other ship "came from out of the blue" and rammed the Stena.
Manila, Philippines — Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte was arrested at Manila's international airport Tuesday on order of the International Criminal Court in connection with a case of crime against humanity filed against him, the Philippine government said.
Doctors said Monday Pope Francis is no longer in imminent danger of death as a result of pneumonia that has kept him hospitalized for nearly a month, but have decided to keep him hospitalized for several more days to receive treatment.
Johannesburg — President Trump doubled down Friday on his offer to grant U.S. citizenship to White Afrikaner farmers in South Africa, accusing their government of treating them "terribly." Mr. Trump said the U.S. would offer them "safety" and that they would be given a "rapid pathway to citizenship."
A massive volcano in Guatemala is erupting and authorities have evacuated nearly 300 families while warning another 30,000 people in the area they could be at risk.
Seoul, South Korea — North Korea fired several ballistic missiles into the sea on Monday, South Korea's military said, hours after South Korean and U.S. troops kicked off their large annual combined drills, which the North views as an invasion rehearsal.
Toronto — Canada's Liberal Party has chosen veteran central bank leader Mark Carney as its new leader, meaning he will quickly replace Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in the country's top office. The transition, and Trudeau's political downfall, comes amid the chaotic trade war with Canada's closest ally launched by President Trump.
Prince Frederik of Luxembourg has died at the age of 22 from POLG mitochondrial disease, a rare genetic disorder that he was born with, his family announced.
Israel carried out an air strike in northern Gaza on Sunday, rattling an already fragile ceasefire as fresh talks in Doha are set to take place on Monday.
The death toll from two days of clashes between Syrian security forces and loyalists of ousted President Bashar Assad and revenge killings that followed has risen to more than 1,000, a war monitoring group said Saturday, making it one of the deadliest acts of violence since Syria's conflict began 14 years ago.
Panama on Saturday released dozens of migrants who were held for weeks in a remote camp after they were deported from the U.S. They were given 30 days to leave the Central American nation.
International Women's Day protests demand equal rights and an end to discrimination, sexual violence
Women across the world will call for equal pay, reproductive rights, education, justice and decision-making jobs during demonstrations marking International Women's Day on Saturday.