A British teenager who called himself “Epstein” online and targeted over 100 girls worldwide for sexual abuse has been sentenced to two years in prison. Justin Swaddle, from Leeds, used the surname of notorious paedophile Jeffrey Epstein as his username to groom victims as young as three, coercing them into explicit acts and self-harm.
Investigation and offences
The National Crime Agency (NCA) began investigating Swaddle in January 2024 when he was 17, three months after his arrest by West Yorkshire Police in October 2023 for offences including possession, making and distribution of indecent images. His devices were seized, and investigators found he was highly active on Snapchat, Telegram and Discord using the usernames ‘Epstein’, ‘Rugen’ and ‘Moscow’.
NCA officers examined his phone and computer, uncovering hundreds of sexual conversations with young females. They discovered he was part of an online community that coerced victims to physically harm or sexually abuse themselves. These groups have international membership and use messaging apps and gaming platforms to commit crimes.
Victims and impact
The NCA identified 117 female victims worldwide, aged 13 to 17, with eight in the UK. One 17-year-old victim said she met Swaddle on Discord in November 2022, then moved to Snapchat, where conversations became sexual and self-harm was discussed. Swaddle requested nude images and told her to carve his username into her body. He obtained her name, address and school details, and she complied because she didn't want to upset him.
Swaddle recorded calls of sexual activity and shared them with a group, threatening to use her personal details to get more images and videos. Telegram messages showed he attempted to incite a child to sexually abuse a younger child, threatening to leak indecent images if more content wasn't provided. Numerous images showed victims with self-harm injuries, including Swaddle's aliases carved into their skin, and indecent images of children in Categories A to C, with A being the most severe. Officers estimated the children ranged from three to 17, and several acts were directed by Swaddle.
International cooperation and sentencing
Using the NCA's International Liaison Officer network, investigators worked with law enforcement in the USA, Canada, Australia, Norway and New Zealand to safeguard victims. Swaddle was charged with child sexual abuse offences and blackmail, and pleaded guilty to all offences at Leeds Crown Court on 2 July. He was sentenced on Monday to two years in prison, subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for 10 years, and required to sign the National Sex Offenders Register.
HHJ Kelson KC described Swaddle as “a predatory shark preying on children swimming in the dark waters of the internet”, calling it “one of the more extreme cases” seen.
Danielle Pownall, operations manager from the NCA, said: “Justin Swaddle targeted young and vulnerable victims all over the world to abuse and scare them into carrying out shocking self-harm and sexual activity, purely to gain popularity with his peers online.” She added that the NCA is coordinating the response to such groups in the UK, working with partners to prevent offending and protect children.
