Description
Originally broadcast on 11th November 2025.
If you or anyone you know has been affected by this video, details of organisations offering information and support are available at BBC Action Line: https://www.bbc.co.uk/actionline/
When Northern Irish police arrest a 20 year old Alexander McCartney, they don’t realize they’ve just caught one of the UK’s most prolific online sexual abusers. As the case unfolds, they uncover a case that spans the several countries across the world and the race is to stop him from doing even more harm.
The US Department of Homeland Security notify the police in Northern Ireland of two more catfishing victims, this time in the United States, and a multiagency international investigation is triggered.
As McCartney is remanded into custody, police across the world work together to identify and safeguard the thousands of victims discovered on McCartney’s devices. Police are especially keen to identify and locate a 14-year-old girl in Oregon, whose images McCartney used to catfish hundreds of other children.
0:00 Intro
5:00 The Race To Re-Arrest
9:58 Alexander McCartney Interrogation
12:54 The US Case
18:00 Finding The Original Victim
21:44 Uncovering The Extent Of His Abuse
27:00 Cimarron Thomas
Subscribe: youtube.com/@bbcdeepwatch?sub_confirmation=1
BBC deepwatch is powered by BBC Three: https://www.bbc.co.uk/tv/bbcthree
For full accessibility, including accurate subtitles, you can watch the fully accessible version of this video on BBC iPlayer.
If you or anyone you know has been affected by this video, details of organisations offering information and support are available at BBC Action Line: https://www.bbc.co.uk/actionline/
#catfish #fulldocumentary #truecrimestories