Who is Dr Matthew Falder? Dark web paedophile and Cambridge Uni graduate jailed for posting sick images online
For more than eight years Dr Matthew Falder preyed on victims on Gumtree and other sites by blackmailing them into sending images of themselves which he distributed on the dark web.
DR MATTHEW Falder was unmasked as one of the UK's most prolific sex offenders after admitting luring dozens of children into sending severe abuse images of themselves which he shared on the dark web.
Here's everything we know about the Cambridge University-educated scientist who has admitted more than 130 offences and has been jailed for 32 years...
Who is Dr Falder?
When his offending began in 2010, Falder was a student at Cambridge University.
The prestigious university, which confirmed he studied there, said it was "shocked and saddened" by the case.
"Our thoughts are with the victims of these awful crimes and with their families, who have no doubt been deeply affected by this," said a spokesperson from Cambridge University.
He had been a postdoctoral researcher at Birmingham University before his arrest on June 21 in 2017.
His father Stephen Falder told Sky News: "This has turned our lives upside down.
"It came as a complete shock and the family is totally devastated."
What were his offences?
The pervert admitted 137 offences including the sexual exploitation of a child, voyeurism, making and distributing indecent images of children and encouraging the rape of a four-year-old.
Falder's offending went unnoticed for eight years.
The shamed scientist preyed on victims via Gumtree and other sites by pretending to be a woman and blackmailing them.
He persuaded vulnerable users into sending naked or partially clothed self-images, which he shared on the dark web after moving them off Gumtree.
Some horrific pictures showed babies and children being tortured.
He humiliated more than 50 youngsters online using the names "666devil" and "evil mind".
Sick Falder threatened to expose them if they didn't comply, leaving some so traumatised they self-harmed.
His sickening campaign of abuse was rumbled when spies from GCHQ unmasked him.
It emerged he also set up secret cameras to film people he knew in the shower.
He was the first to be snared under the National Crime Agency's (NCA) "hurt core" offending - hidden web forums dedicated to the discussion and sharing of "dark" matter.
Matt Sutton, a senior investigating officer at the NCA, added: "In 30 years of law enforcement I have never come across such horrifying offending where the offender's sole aim was to cause such pain and distress.
"There are more than 50 victims in this case and I commend them for their bravery in helping us convict a truly evil offender.
"'It has been an extremely complex investigation into a prolific online predator, who over several years believed he could evade law enforcement to sexually and sadistically exploit vulnerable victim."
Sentencing Flader in February 2018, Judge Philip Parker QC said: "As for your equally extraordinary sexual offending - no-one who knew you above ground had an inkling of what you were doing below the surface."
"You wanted to assume total control over your victims.
"Your behaviour was cunning, persistent, manipulative and cruel."
For the victims, he said: "The damage is on-going for these individuals it will never end, knowing the abuse caused by you still exists in other unknown persons' computers."
A spokesperson for Gumtree said: “We welcome the conviction of Matthew Falder for his appalling offences. Our dedicated safety team has been working with the NCA in its investigation of this case for several years. We take the safety of our users extremely seriously and are committed to making the site as safe as possible. We list prominent safety advice on every ad on our website, a summary of which can be found on our dedicated Safety Advice Page.”
We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online news team? Email us at tips@the-sun.co.uk or call 0207 782 4368 . We pay for videos too. Click here to upload yours.