Harrogate man Dale Michael Tyson posed as North American teenager online to get children to send him naked pictures, court hears

Dale Michael Tyson, 30, posed under an alter ego online in order to talk to children in both the UK and America and coerced them into sending graphic sexual images of themselves.

Tyson, of Christina Street, Harrogate, pleaded guilty to seven counts of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, six counts of making indecent photographs of a child, three counts of intentionally encouraging an offence and sexual communication with a child.

His offences relate to 10 different victims, but North Yorkshire Police believe there are many more.

Tyson appeared at York Croen Court on Friday and was jailed for a total of 10 years.

North Yorkshire Police Detective Sergeant Steven Alderson said: "This case really highlights the fact that it is almost impossible to know if the person you are speaking to online is who they claim to be. Tyson pretended he was a young north American man to create connections with his victims so that he could manipulate them into sending graphic images of themselves which he then used for his own gratification.

"The young victims who came forward showed incredible bravery in speaking to the police about what happened to them and in speaking out they have helped protect many more young people from Tyson’s deplorable behaviour.

“The investigation spanned the UK and USA with fantastic work from our investigators at North Yorkshire Police who managed to locate a number of these victims, without whom the case would not have been so strong."

Tyson is now also subject to a sexual harm prevention order for an indefinite period.