Josh Scott, aged 36, of Hanham, South Gloucestershire, was sentenced to 21 years and four months at Bristol Crown Court on Thursday, 13 August 2026, after pleading guilty to more than 10 child sexual offences and possessing extreme pornography.
The court heard that Scott targeted children across the UK using social media platforms Snapchat and TikTok. Posing as a 13- to 14-year-old boy, Scott added more than 40 children aged 7 to 16, encouraging them to send intimate images and videos. Scott screen-recorded the incoming files and replied with videos of himself carrying out sexual acts. He also exposed himself on TikTok to a child under the age of 10.
The investigation commenced in December 2025 following intelligence referrals from the National Crime Agency (NCA), United States Homeland Security Investigations, and Greater Manchester Police. Officers arrested Scott and seized multiple digital devices.
Forensic analysis of the seized hardware uncovered 9,200 indecent images of children alongside eight extreme pornographic images. The illicit files comprised:
- 1,969 Category A images (the most severe rating, featuring children from three months old upwards)
- 3,344 Category B images
- 3,887 Category C images
Scott was rearrested and remanded into custody on 14 May 2026. Appearing before Bristol Crown Court, he pleaded guilty to all counts, including taking indecent photographs of children, inciting a girl under 13 to engage in sexual activity, and inciting a child to view sexual activity.
The court handed down an extended sentence of 21 years and four months, ordering Scott to serve 13 years in prison before serving the remainder on licence, alongside a lifetime Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO).
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