A prolific and “evil” youngster rapist has been jailed for all times after he was unmasked by know-how which unpixellated a picture of his face found in images he took of himself abusing his victims.
Martyn Armstrong, from Pembrokeshire, documented himself committing “depraved” acts in opposition to three kids, together with a sufferer as younger as one, and posted the images to the darkish net.
The 50-year-old was arrested in July final 12 months after officers developed the by no means earlier than used software.
Armstrong pleaded responsible to a complete of 41 counts of rape of a kid beneath the age of 13 and sexual assault associated to 2 victims, and to creating, distributing and possessing indecent photos of youngsters in relation to them each and a 3rd sufferer.
Sentencing the defendant to a life imprisonment with a minimal time period of 14 years, Recorder of Cardiff, Tracey Lloyd-Clarke, mentioned the “nature and depravity of your offending is shocking”.
Prosecutor Roger Griffiths informed Cardiff Crown Court that Armstrong had taken the pictures of him abusing kids between 2005 and 2007, and between 16 December 2009 and 6 February 2011, and had admitted to taking images of a 3rd youngster on a seaside in 2010.
He had posted on-line a sequence of 200 extraordinarily graphic photos and a video beneath the file identify ‘Father Jones’ which exhibits him repeatedly raping his youngest sufferer.
The sequence has been recognized to crime companies internationally since 2013 as a result of file being shared and downloaded throughout 18 international locations. The folder was nonetheless being shared within the UK in early 2022 throughout six web sites.
Rapist used photoshop to distort himself
Mr Griffiths mentioned Armstrong used photoshop to put a zig-zag distortion throughout his picture, however didn’t disguise the identities of his victims.
Due to his face being blurred, investigators had been unable to establish the paedophile for nearly a decade, regardless of makes an attempt by legislation enforcement companions from Australia, Italy and France.
Mr Griffiths mentioned one picture featured the offender’s face with a zig zag distortion and consequently in July final 12 months, National Crime Agency (NCA) officers had been in a position to unpixelate the picture of the defendant in that sequence utilizing their new software.
The software program was developed by NCA officers within the UK and is the primary of its sort to be developed on this planet.
Tech anticipated to assist establish future perpetrators
From the undistorted picture, the officers had been in a position to establish Armstrong’s Facebook profile resulting in his arrest.
It is anticipated the programme will assist future perpetrators to be recognized.
Martin Ludlow from the NCA mentioned: “I don’t believe he [Armstrong] thought he would ever be caught and that the distortion techniques he used would protect him.
“However, the NCA and our worldwide companions had been decided to make sure his evil actions didn’t go unpunished.
“Our commitment to identifying him was unwavering and ultimately, NCA officers developed a completely new programme which led to his unmasking.”
Armstrong admitted to distributing images and to naming the Father Jones sequence.
Adam Sharp, defending, mentioned: “Mr Armstrong does not want me to try to mitigate the depravity of his actions or the impact they had on his victims.”
Source: information.sky.com”