The Police Service of Northern Ireland has acknowledged today’s (November 10) findings from the Police Ombudsman’s investigation into their handling of the case involving Alexander McCartney.
The Co Armagh man was found guilty in October 2024 of one of the worst cases of catfishing ever seen – which resulted in a 12-year-old girl taking her own life – and was sentenced to life imprisonment, with a minimum of 20 years behind bars.
However, the Police Ombudsman’s investigation concluded that PSNI cybercrimes units did not have the resources in place that could have potentially led to his earlier detection.
In a statement the PSNI said: “First and foremost, our thoughts are with the victims, their families, and all those affected by McCartney’s appalling crimes. We recognise the profound and lasting harm caused by his actions, and we are deeply sorry for any further distress these findings may cause. No words can undo the pain experienced, but we are committed to learning from this case to strengthen our ability to protect children and young people from harm in the future.
“We note the Police Ombudsman’s conclusion that no individual officer was found to have committed misconduct, and that the challenges identified stemmed from systemic resource pressures and capacity constraints within specialist teams at the time. Nevertheless, we fully accept the findings and the lessons that must be learned.
“At the time of this investigation, the demand on our Child Internet Protection Team (CIPT) and Cybercrime Centre was rising exponentially, far exceeding the available resources and technological capability. We recognise that this resulted in unacceptable delays in digital forensic analysis, investigative progression, and the management of bail conditions.
“Since then, a number of steps have been taken to improve our capacity and capability in this critical area of policing, ensuring information regarding digital submissions and associated risk are considered at an early stage. These include:
· Our Cyber Crime Centre has introduced a new submissions portal, which uses the THRIVE (Threat, Harm, Risk, Investigation, Vulnerability, Engagement) risk model. This enables investigating officers to indicate increased risk factors and determine priorities for submitted devices.
· As part of a significant and longer-term transformation project, a new ‘gatekeeping’ team are in the process of being established. The team will specifically process all submissions in direct liaison with investigating officers, during which increased risk can be identified and prioritisation made.
· New technology has been employed, which encompasses both new hardware and software. The new technology significantly speeds up the process, decreasing the time from submission of a seized device, to identification if said device contains indecent images of children.
“However, it is important to be clear that the resourcing position today is even more challenging than it was at that time. Demand continues to grow across all areas of public protection and cybercrime, while the service faces ongoing financial and resourcing constraints. The Chief Constable has been unequivocal that sustained investment in policing is essential if we are to keep pace with this ever-increasing demand and maintain public confidence.
“In relation to bail, the Police Ombudsman’s report rightly highlights that investigative (pre-charge) bail is used in circumstances where a case is not yet ready to bring before the courts. This was the situation in McCartney’s case, where complex digital forensic work and evidence gathering were still ongoing. Once the case became ready for charge, McCartney was charged and subsequently remanded into custody.
“Protecting children from online sexual abuse and exploitation remains one of the Police Service’s highest priorities. Dedicated detectives within our Public Protection Branch continue to work tirelessly with colleagues across the UK, Ireland, and internationally to detect offenders, safeguard victims, and prevent further harm.”
Assistant Chief Constable Davy Beck, Crime Department, said: “We acknowledge the serious concerns raised by the Police Ombudsman and accept that, at the time, our systems and resources were not where they needed to be. The officers involved worked under immense pressure, and while their dedication was never in question, the service simply did not have the capacity to deliver the level of responsiveness that victims and families rightly expect.
“We have listened, we have learned, and we are acting. Improvements have already been made to ensure that those who exploit and abuse children online are identified more swiftly, investigated more effectively, and brought to justice. We remain steadfast in our commitment to protecting the most vulnerable in our community.
“I also want to take this opportunity to acknowledge the work of the dedicated team that investigated this particularly challenging and complex case. Their commitment never wavered and was recognised by the sentencing judge. They built strong relationships with victims throughout the investigation and remained by their side throughout the criminal justice process.
“We self-referred this case to the Police Ombudsman because it was the right thing to do — to shine a light on the very real pressures facing our specialist teams and the consequences that can arise when resources do not match demand. We will take all learning on board and act upon it with the resources available to us, but meaningful and sustained investment in policing is key to achieving lasting positive change and ensuring we can continue to protect children effectively in the online world.”
The Police Service of Northern Ireland will continue to review and strengthen its approach to tackling online child sexual abuse and exploitation to ensure that the findings identified in this case are not repeated.
