24-Year Prison Sentence

“Depraved”: 24-year prison sentence for prolific online child abuser who used sextortion to prey on victims

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A former soldier stationed in North Yorkshire has been jailed for 24 years after admitting 83 cyber-enabled child sexual abuse and exploitation offences across the UK.

Austen Tobias Fleming, 28, of Stirling Road, Kilsyth, North Lanarkshire, was sentenced at Leeds Crown Court today (21 October 2025).

As well as the custodial sentence, he also has to serve an extra three years on licence, been made subject to an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order, and placed on the Register of Sex Offender for the rest of his life.

The Judge commended the North Yorkshire Police investigation team at the sentencing.

Fleming was based at Dishforth Airfield, near Thirsk, when the Online Child Abuse Team (OCAT) acted on intelligence that he had attempted to extort sexual imagery from a child. Fleming was arrested on 14 November 2022 and his accommodation searched for evidence.

Following a review of the digital devices recovered, it quickly became apparent to detectives that his offending was on a prolific scale, with victims the length and breadth of the country all of whom needed to be traced and safeguarded.

Officers established that Fleming would set up multiple fake social media profiles, including female ones, and was grooming children to send indecent images and videos of themselves.

He would covertly record his interactions with them to use as leverage to extort further explicit material from his victims.

When the children refused, Fleming would threaten to share the images already sent with their loved ones or send small payments or vouchers to illicit more indecent material from his victims.

Fleming was further arrested on suspicion of making indecent images of children and facilitating a child sex offence. He was interviewed and bailed while the investigation intensified to recover evidence and identify victims.

The investigation established that Fleming’s offending stemmed from December 2020 to January 2023, detailing his long-standing interest in child sexual abuse material.

With evidence mounting, Fleming was re-arrested on 16 December 2024 for multiple offences including blackmail, causing a child to engage in sexual activity, causing the exploitation of a child, and distributing indecent images of children.

He answered ‘no comment’ to all the questions put to him during the police interview including those relating to the disturbing victims’ accounts of his offending.

One victim was so badly traumatised by the threats made by Fleming that he attempted to take his own life. Others were left crying and shaking with fear by what he had put them through.

The youngest of Fleming’s many victims was aged just 10 and the oldest only 17.

They were from various parts of Scotland, Wales and England, including Kent, London, Surrey, Sussex, Lincolnshire, Birmingham, Warwickshire, Nottingham, Cheshire, Lancashire, West Yorkshire, Humberside, Durham and North Yorkshire.  

Fleming was charged with:

Detective Constable Tom Sutcliffe from the Online Child Abuse Team, who led the investigation, said: “This has been a large-scale investigation involving constabularies in Scotland, England and Wales. Their support has been crucial in obtaining accounts from the many victims of Fleming.

“It has also required collaborative safeguarding working involving social services across the UK to ensure the young people involved receive the support that they need.

“I have nothing but praise for the continued bravery of the victims.”

DC Sutcliffe added: “Fleming is clearly a depraved offender who poses a significant danger to young people especially. He now faces a long time in prison and will be robustly monitored by the authorities for the rest of his life.”

How to recognise sextortion

Criminals often target people through dating apps, social media, webcams, or pornography sites. They may use a fake identity to befriend you online. If a person you have just met online chats to you in a sexual way, or asks for sexual images, it might be an attempt at sextortion.

You should be wary if someone you’ve met online:

Sextortion attempts can happen very quickly, or they can happen over a long time. You should never share sexual images or information about yourself if you are not comfortable.

You can still be a victim of sextortion if you haven't shared sexual images or information. Criminals may have hacked one of your accounts, or created edited or fake images or videos, like deepfakes, of you that appear real.

Protecting yourself

You should stop engaging with the individual if you feel uncomfortable, or if someone contacts you online who you don't know. 

You can also review your privacy settings. Criminals are less likely to target you if they can’t see who your friends and family are.

Report it.

If you are a victim of sextortion, or you are worried you are being targeted, it's never your fault, you are not to blame and have done nothing wrong.

We understand that it might be difficult to report this type of crime to us, but there's help available and we're here to listen and support you in any way we can. 

Is it an emergency?

Dial 999 if there is an immediate danger to life or someone is using violence or is threatening to be violent.

You can report these crimes online or call us on 101.

If you are under 18, you can report sextortion, or any other form of online child sexual abuse, to the National Crime Agency’s Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP) Safety Centre.

Your report will be sent direct to our control room where it will be reviewed by the same team who answer our calls.

Visit a police station.

If you would prefer to speak to an officer in person, we can provide a safe and comfortable environment at any of our police stations. 

If you need a translator, we can provide someone by phone to start with and later in person.

Before you report

Stop all communication with the offender immediately. You should also never pay, as there is no guarantee that this will stop the threats.

If you want to get your account removed, deactivate it rather than delete it. This will make it easier for us to find evidence.

You do not have to gather 'evidence' like screenshots, text messages, videos or photos before you report to us. All you need to do when you report is tell us what happened. 

If you have any screenshots, text messages, videos or photos, details like these can be useful to us. It is also helpful if you can put these details in a timeline.

Even if the photo or video is no longer available, you should still report it to us. We may be able to recover the image.

Useful information if you have it:

You should only screenshot an intimate image if you are sure the person is over 18. If you are unsure, don’t screenshot, record, or share it with anyone, even the police. It could be a criminal offence.

Further support for children and young people under 18

Report Remove allows you to confidentially report sexual images and videos of yourself and get them removed from the internet.

Childline gives free, confidential support for young people under the age of 19.

Young Minds is a mental health charity for children and young people with 24 hours a day, seven days a week text support.

Child Exploitation and Online Protection Command (CEOP) Education gives advice for parents, children, and young people on staying safe from sexual abuse and online grooming.