In a shocking revelation, A perpetrator of online sexual blackmail who subjected numerous victims to "mental torture" by coercing them into recording degrading sexual acts, including the abuse of a seven-year-old girl, has been sentenced to 24 years in prison.
Anthony 'Danny' Burns, a 39-year-old online predator, has been sentenced to more than two decades in prison for blackmailing and abusing children as young as 8, as well as adults. Burns, who collaborated with notorious online child sex offender Adbul Elahi, was found guilty of a string of horrifying offenses that spanned from May 2018 to March 2023.
Working alongside Elahi, who is already serving a 32-year sentence for sadistic online abuse, Burns employed manipulative tactics learned from his associate. Dubbed 'sugar daddy' websites, Burns used these platforms to coerce dozens of females into performing degrading sexual acts. His modus operandi involved blackmail and threats, forcing victims to comply with his demands.
According to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), Burns went further by sending indecent images of children to victims and making requests for them to abuse children or perform sexual acts with animals. The CPS disclosed that Burns attempted to contact around 600 people worldwide to exploit them sexually.
Burns, formerly residing in Lowestoft, Suffolk, faced a total of 46 charges, including blackmail, attempted blackmail, causing a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity, arranging the commission of a child sex offense, making and distributing indecent images of children, possessing extreme pornography, malicious communications offenses, and failure to comply with notification requirements.
The National Crime Agency (NCA) conducted a thorough investigation, identifying 40 victims of Burns' crimes globally, with a majority located in the UK. Digital evidence, including chat logs and explicit content, was seized during Burns' arrest, forming a crucial part of the case against him.
Having admitted to 39 offenses, Burns was found guilty by a jury on two counts. On January 19, 2023, he was sentenced to 24 years in prison, with an additional five-year extended license, for 41 offenses, encompassing blackmail, causing a child to engage in sexual activity, sexual exploitation of a child, and making and distributing indecent images of a child.
In response to the conviction, Robert Slater, NCA Operations Manager, expressed deep sympathy for the victims and emphasized the NCA's commitment to pursuing the highest harm sexual offenders. The NCA urged individuals facing online coercion to disconnect, report the matter to the police, and seek assistance, assuring them that they are not alone.
Bethany Raine, a specialist prosecutor for the CPS, highlighted Burns' obsessive and manipulative behavior, asserting that his conviction sends a clear message that the CPS is dedicated to bringing sexual offenders like Burns to justice, regardless of where the abuse takes place.
