THE number of charges against a prolific sex offender accused of posing as a female escort to extort funds from victims, is expected to climb from 12 to over 450, it has emerged.
Scott Toothill (35) from Gledarragh Park, Ederney is charged with inciting prostitution, fraud by posing as a female and offering sexual services, blackmail, and concealing criminal property between August 2021 and November 2022.
There are potentially over 100 alleged victims worldwide and “The volume of offending uncovered is greater than police could ever have anticipated.”
A detective previously explained Toothill is a registered sex-offender and subject to indefinite registration and a Sexual Offences Prevention Order (SOPO) due to previous behaviour which began in 2012 when he incited a child to engage in sexual activity and attempted to facilitate child prostitution.
In November 2022 police commenced an investigation after he was found with an unapproved mobile phone and five SIM cards.
Analysis revealed he had posed as a female escort on various social media platforms using at least 12 different names.
Over 700,000 pieces of data from his phone and bank account were examined which demonstrate, “The sheer volume and scale of offending.”
Toothill would allegedly pretend to be a female escort and arrange payment for sexual services.
Some alleged victims were blackmailed with exposure if they didn’t pay him.
Toothill also allegedly engaged with several females whom he tried to involve in prostitution.
Two females whose images and details were used by Toothill to set up fake accounts on escort websites, were “Caused great distress over the amount of sexual requests received,”
There are four alleged male victims from Toothill posing as a female advertising sexual services and obtaining payment however no meeting ever took place.
The detective said, “Analysis shows approximately £171,000 entering and leaving the defendant’s bank account, all believed to be from fraud and blackmail. He has employed the use of two co-accused to collect money on his behalf who take a small cut but the majority is swiftly transferred to the defendant.”
Objecting to bail the detective set out Toothill’s 34 previous convictions of which 33 are high relevance, with, “A repeated pattern of offending for around 15 years which has gradually grown more prolific.”
In 2011 he claimed to be a model agent and attempted to engage four teenage females in pornographic photoshoots.
In 2017 he was convicted of breaching his SOPO, controlling and inciting prostitution and fraud.
“The current offending is an exact repeat, and the list of injured parties is growing constantly,” said the detective. “He cannot control his compulsive behaviour. He has concealed multiple mobile devices and SIM cards on numerous occasions. He was subject to the highest category of sex-offender management but was able to commit these offences regardless.”
Toothill is also on bail for the alleged rape of a sex-worker who agreed to meet him “Under false pretences and was subject to certain sexual acts over a number of days which she did not consent to.
The most recent sitting of Enniskillen Magistrates Court heard, “There are potentially 454 offences which police are going through the painstaking task of cross-referencing. District Judge Alana McSorley listed the case for mention on December 16.
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