A paedophile who raped boys as young as 12 after grooming them online by offering them cash for explicit Snapchat videos has been jailed – as police reveal there could be hundreds more victims.
Barthimaus Ehiemere, 25, of Chart Street, Hackney, was today sentenced at Snaresbrook Crown Court to 18 years in jail for 47 offences against seven known victims.
A police investigation found that Ehiemere had engaged in extensive online grooming and serious sexual offences against boys aged 12 to 16, including seven counts of rape of two boys between 2019 and 2023.
The Metropolitan Police said Ehiemere would send boys ‘gifts, money and praise to coerce them into providing sexual imagery’ which he would then use to advertise and encourage other boys to do the same.
Ehiemere would ‘actively brag about his endeavours’ and sell the illegal content to other sexual offenders, police added.
The rapist would use the app Spotafriend, which has now been discontinued, to meet children as well as Snapchat, the court heard.
He filmed himself raping his victims in public places and kept the videos on his phone.
Detectives say he could have hundreds of online victims and are appealing for anyone affected to get in touch.
Barthimaus Ehiemere, 25, of Chart Street, Hackney, was today sentenced at Snaresbrook Crown Court on Thursday to 18 years in jail
Ehiemere would ‘actively brag about his endeavours’ and pay boys for explicit content on Snapchat as a method of grooming them
On July 28 2020, Ehiemere was arrested after police received information that his phone was distributing indecent images of children.
He was initially sentenced in February 2021 at Wood Green Crown Court to eight months in a young offenders’ institution, suspended for 24 months and made subject to a sexual harm prevention order.
He was arrested again in October 2024, and several devices that had not been registered with police – in breach of the prevention order – were seized. He refused to give police the password to one of the devices, on which officers discovered footage of Ehiemere raping a 12-year-old boy.
During the course of their investigations officers found more than 1,600 indecent images of children across four phones and devices seized from Ehiemere.
Ehiemere’s court case came after his brother Richard, 21, was convicted of fraud and possessing indecent images of children following an investigation by the National Crime Agency this year.
Police do not believe the pair’s offending was connected. Richard was handed a 12-month suspended prison sentence in May.
Prosecutor James Brown KC said Barthimaus Ehiemere had a ‘deep-seated and commercial interest in the sexual abuse of young teenage boys’.
He told the court: ‘On Snapchat, there were numerous examples of him advertising broadly and widely for images of a sexual nature from younger teenage boys.
‘He frequently offered money for those images. He was very much in the business of encouraging young teenage boys to send him images of themselves performing sexual acts.’
Prosecutors said Ehiemere would procure the images from young boys and then sell them on to other paedophiles. Officers uncovered evidence that, while speaking to one fellow paedophile, Ehiemere sickeningly described raping a 12-year-old victim as ‘the best sex ever’.
The court heard he lured in young boys with pictures of piles of cash, captioned ‘let’s be friends’.
He had searched for material such as ‘young boy rape’ on his devices and posted on Snapchat phrases including ‘always meeting new boys… pop up and take my money’ and ‘I trade quality nudes’.
One of Ehiemere’s victims told officers he had been sexually assaulted as a 12-year-old, while another said he had been paid for sex aged 16.
Sentencing, His Honour Judge Timothy Greene told Ehiemere: ‘These offences were committed when you were between 17 and 23.
‘Police recovered two mobile phones with hundreds of indecent images.
The Metropolitan Police said Ehiemere would send boys ‘gifts, money and praise to coerce them into providing sexual imagery’ which he would then use to advertise on social media and encourage other boys to do the same
Posting on Snapchat, Ehiemere brazenly advertised his activities, telling young boys to ‘pop up and take my money’
‘Seven victims have been identified, others have not been identified. No victim was identified by them going to the police, the police in each case approached them.
‘The identified victims were boys aged between 12 and 16, and one 17.
‘They said they were approached by you online through the Spotafriend application. which no longer operates, and had been marketed so those under 18 could make friends with those of a similar age.
‘But there appears to have been no safeguards to ensure only those under 18 could use it.
‘The conversations would become sexual pretty quickly and you would encourage the boys to send you sexualised images.
‘Over time this became a mechanism for making money for yourself by selling videos. You also paid for images.
‘And it was also a mechanism for you to meet up with and have sex with underage boys.
‘I do not think you are remorseful other than regretting the impact on you.
‘You are a serious danger to young boys with whom you come into contact.
‘This was a campaign of sexual offending. I doubt you gave any thought to their real ages, you cared only about your sexual gratification and if you could make financial gains out of sexually exploiting them.’
Judge Greene sentenced Ehiemere to a further four-year licence period and an indefinite sexual harm prevention order.
Ehemiere used multiple social media accounts to target his victims before being caught
He added he had given ‘serious thought’ to whether the offending justified a life sentence.
In an impact statement read out in court, one victim said they were ‘waking up with nightmares’ about Ehiemere.
The victim added: ‘It took me a long time to realise I was a child and it wasn’t my fault.’
Mitigating for Ehiemere, his laywer Barry Kogan said: ‘He wishes to express his deep shame and remorse on account of all of his offending.
‘He would like to apologise for the distress he has caused.’
Mr Kogan said Ehiemere was ‘badly influenced’ by an adult who ‘encouraged him to make money by selling illegal images of children’.
Ehiemere pled guilty to 32 counts before trial, including rape of a child under 13, inciting children to create indecent images, and multiple breaches of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order.
He was also found guilty by a jury on a further 15 charges relating to sexual assaults and paying for the sexual services of a child.
The Met Police has today launched a campaign to encourage other victims of Ehiemere’s offending to get in touch.
They are advised to report online or via 101 quoting Op Teigar, or to call Crimestoppers, where they can give information anonymously.
Detective Chief Inspector Kirk Doyle said Ehiemere was ‘preying on vulnerable children’ on social media apps.
Speaking outside court, the Metropolitan Police officer added: ‘Barthimaus Ehiemere was a prolific and predatory sexual offender who committed some of the most cowardly and abhorrent crimes imaginable.
‘His actions have caused deep and lasting harm to hundreds of young boys. But thanks to the extraordinary bravery of the victims and the relentless work of my team, he will no longer be free to hurt others.’
Discussing Ehiemere’s victims, Mr Doyle added: ‘He would send them gifts, money and praise to coerce them into providing sexual imagery, which he would then use to advertise and encourage other boys to do the same.
‘Ehiemere would actively brag about his endeavours and sell the illegal content to likeminded sexual offenders.
‘We know there are still victims who have not yet come forward. The number of identified victims remains at seven, but we believe there are many many more.
‘That is why today, I am making a direct appeal: If you believe you or a child in your life may have been a victim of Barthimaus Ehiemere, or if you have any information that could assist our investigation – please come forward quoting Operation Teigar.
‘You will be listened to. You will be believed. You will be supported.
‘No matter how much time has passed, it is never too late to speak out. Every piece of information could help us uncover the full extent of Ehiemere’s offending.’
Following the sentencing, an NSPCC spokesperson said: ‘Ehiemere targeted and manipulated vulnerable boys, both on social media and in-person, before repeatedly committing horrendous acts of sexual abuse.
‘It is vital the victims in this terrible case receive all the support they need to move forwards with their lives.
‘Our own research shows that online grooming offences have hit record levels across the UK, and so it is crucial that tech companies make changes to the design of their platforms that will stop perpetrators like Ehiemere and better protect children.’