A BRITISH sicko became the first person to be jailed for child rape despite never meeting his victims - after blackmailing kids into performing sex acts on camera.

Warped Paul Leighton, 32, coaxed "several hundred children" from around the world into abusing themselves and each other as he watched and filmed online.

4 Paedophile Paul Leighton will today be jailed for child rape in a landmark case

He was jailed for 16 years yesterday while detectives labelled Leighton, of Seaham, County Durham, "the worst child abuser they had ever come across".

The paedohpile set up fake social media accounts and pretended to be a child so he could groom kids in online chatrooms.

He blackmailed young girls and threatened to expose the videos to their families unless they submitted to his sordid orders.

In one sick attack, he is understood to have convinced a 15-year-old girl in America to molest her own 10-month-old baby sister.

Leighton, whose job was spray-painting cars, was arrested in November by police investigating reports he had exchanged indecent images on Facebook.

Police were able to charge Leighton with rape as he had "coerced" some victims to attack others.

4 Leighton blackmailed young girls and threatened to expose the videos to their families Credit: Facebook

When officers examined his phone they found evidence that as many as 100 children in North America had been abused.

He admitted 19 "sample" offences, including three rapes, two sexual assaults on girls under 13, four counts of causing or inciting grooming, three counts of making and two counts of distributing indecent photographs, three counts of blackmail, one count of assault on a girl under 13, and one count of possessing a class B drug.

He will sentenced at Newcastle Crown Court today and it's understood the FBI will try to extradite him for trial in the United States.

Detective Sergeant Peter Morgan, part of the team who investigated Leighton, said the case was the worst they have ever come across in their career.

He said: "Paul Leighton is one of the most serious offenders I have ever come across and his actions have had devastating impacts across the world.

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"He has victims in this country, America, Canada, and Australia - and there may be dozens more who have not yet reported abuse to the authorities.

"His offending has had a lasting impact on all the officers on the investigative team but from the minute Leighton was arrested he has shown no remorse for his actions.

"He was calculated and sophisticated in his approach to this abuse and his lack of thought for his victims is spine-chilling.

"Hundreds of families will never recover from the trauma of these offences and will have to live with what he has done to them for the rest of their lives.

"As for Leighton, he is set to spend significant time behind bars where he cannot hurt anyone else - that is thanks to the hard work of our detectives.

"This case proves that we will work with law enforcement from across the globe to pursue abusers like Paul Leighton wherever they are and whoever they offend against."

4 Northumbria Police have labelled Leighton 'the worst child abuser they had ever come across' Credit: Facebook

Superintendent Michael Barton, digital forensics lead at Northumbria Police, said the case was a "chilling reminder" of the dangers posed by children talking to strangers online.

He said: "We all know that the internet can be a dangerous environment for young people but this case shows just how dangerous it can be.

"Many young people do not understand just what can happen when they speak to strangers online or send indecent images of themselves over the internet.

"We regularly go into schools to try to educate children about cyber-crime, online grooming and the pitfalls of sexting. This case shows why that is so important.

4 Leighton's phone which he used to trick youngsters into sending him nude selfies Credit: PA:Press Association

"We would encourage parents to challenge their children about what they are doing online and warn them exactly what can happen when they speak to strangers or share indecent images.

"Unfortunately we live in a world where sick, vile creatures like Paul Leighton take advantage of young children using the internet.

"He committed these offences on a mobile phone and used the cover of fake social media profiles to carry out abuse that many of us could not even comprehend.

"If you find yourself in trouble then speak to police straight away and let us help you. Nobody should feel pressured into doing something they feel uncomfortable with online.

"Our detectives will continue to dedicate their lives to taking these kind of people off the street. Call us and we will believe you."

Sentencing Leighton to 16 years with a six year extended licence, Judge Robert Adams told him: "You have effectively destroyed the lives of these people against whom you made these threats."

The judge ruled Leighton was "clearly dangerous" and posed a risk to children in the UK and abroad.

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