A BLACKWOOD man has been jailed after he posed online as a teenage girl to groom and blackmail boys as young as 13.

20-year-old Matthew Lloyd, of Woodville Terrace, was sentenced to 28 months in prison after he blackmailed three victims into sending sexual images of themselves to him over the internet.

Pretending to be a girl called Becky James, Lloyd threatened to release the pictures if they did not keep sending more and tried to arrange a meet up for sex.

In one of the “startling” images that Lloyd demanded, the victim is seen crying and visibly upset.

On Wednesday [August 26], Lloyd appeared at Newport Crown Court and was sentenced to 28 months for nine counts of sexual offences.

He pleaded guilty to three counts of possessing indecent images, two counts of causing or inciting a boy aged between 13 to 15 to engage in sexual activity and four counts of causing or inciting child prostitution or pornography.

The court heard how between January 2012 and September 7 last year, Lloyd contacted three boys online.

The conversation started friendly but then Lloyd, using his alias, sent a picture of herself in a bikini asking for a sexual picture in response.

In the case of one victim, prosecutor Miles Trigg said: “The demands became greater. The defendant demanded more pictures but the victim refused. 

“Becky James became aggressive, threatening to distribute the picture unless more pictures were sent."

With one victim who was just 13, the made-up Becky James then told the victim to meet Lloyd to engage in sexual activity and to take photos.

Mr Trigg said finally three victims told their parents what had happened. 

One of the victim’s mothers began to investigate and rang Lloyd, but he pleaded with her urging her not to call the police because “he had an 82-year-old grandmother who would not be able to take it”.

Lloyd was arrested in September last year. 

Three victim impact statements were read out. One mother said: "I will never forget when he came to tell me. He cried so much, I had never seen him cry like he did."

Caroline Rees, defending, said: “He was somebody who is confused about his own sexuality and doesn’t really understand it.

“He’s not someone who enjoys a lot of company, he had two jobs and was acting as a carer for his elderly and disabled grandmother. 

“He can’t turn to friends so it has turned inwards on him.

“He is sorry. He sends his apology to each and every one of them.”

But Judge Philip Richards said: “In my view the prosecution rightly describe your conduct as manipulative.

“The aggravating features include the vulnerability of the victims and the threats made, the psychological harm to the victims."