A 25-year-old Hackney man, described by the Metropolitan Police as “one of the most prolific and depraved sexual predators in recent years,” has been sentenced to 18 years in prison for abusing seven boys.
Barthimaus Ehiemere targeted boys aged 12 to 16 between 2019 and 2023, committing 47 offences, including seven counts of rape. Investigators revealed he used Snapchat and the now-defunct app Spotafriend to groom victims, offering gifts, money, and praise in exchange for sexual images.
Disturbingly, Ehiemere then used those images to lure other boys and sold explicit material to other offenders. Police recovered over 1,600 indecent images from just four of his devices.
Prosecutors described him as having a “deep-seated and commercial interest” in exploiting teenage boys. One survivor recounted ongoing nightmares and said he only later realized, “it wasn’t my fault.”
Detective Chief Inspector Kirk Doyle commended the bravery of the victims and warned that more unidentified victims are believed to exist. “Ehiemere’s actions caused deep and lasting harm. Thanks to the courage of these young people, he can no longer hurt others,” he said.
Ehiemere had a prior suspended sentence in 2021 for distributing child abuse material, but by 2024 detectives linked him to new victims, including a 12-year-old he raped. He pled guilty to 32 charges and was convicted of 15 more at trial.
Judge Timothy Greene described him as “a serious danger to young boys.” Ehiemere expressed shame in court, blaming negative adult influence. He will remain on the sex offender register for life.
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