A middle-aged paedophile has been jailed for five years for tricking young American girls into performing vile sex acts – while he hid behind a CARTOON AVATAR.
Mark Noyes, 46, used social networking sites to groom vulnerable youngsters – some aged just 12 – in the US into thinking they were enjoying a blooming cyber romance.
He used a cartoon profile image to mask his real identity as he persuaded them to perform sordid acts while he watched from his home in Winkleigh, Devon.
An international police investigation tracked down meat factory worker Noyes after the family of one of the victims raised the alarm.
The pervert was convicted of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and making or possessing indecent images at Exeter Court Court.
The charges related to two victims aged 12 – but detectives revealed after the case that Noyes may have targeted as many as five little girls.
DC Glenn Boniface, of Devon and Cornwall Police, said his conviction followed a two-year probe between law enforcement agencies in the UK and US.
He said: “Mark Noyes was a manipulator who persuaded young girls to carry out acts for his own sexual gratification,
“The extent of his grooming can be seen by the fact that, throughout their contact with Noyes and indeed after his arrest, both of these girls truly believed that they were in a loving relationship with him.”
Matthew Etre (cor), of the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations unit, added: “The targeting of individuals who exploit children and prey on our children is one of our top priorities and anyone who thinks they can get away with it is mistaken.”
