JASON GOTHARD OF SOUTH ELMSALL: THE NIGHTMARE OF ONLINE BLACKMAIL AND SEXUAL EXPLOITATION

In May 2017, a disturbing case emerged involving Jason Gothard, a resident of South Elmsall, who engaged in heinous online activities targeting young girls. Gothard, aged 26 at the time, operated under false pretenses by creating fake profiles to deceive minors and manipulate them into sending explicit images and videos of themselves.

One of his victims was a 14-year-old girl who was subjected to threats and intimidation. Gothard threatened to post her explicit images on Facebook unless she complied with his demands, which led the girl to become suicidal due to the immense pressure and fear. The severity of his actions prompted a swift response from law enforcement and the judicial system.

The case came to light when the mother of one of Gothard’s victims discovered the Facebook messages he had sent to her daughter. Recognizing the danger, she confronted Gothard online and took the additional step of reposting the vile messages and images onto his own Facebook page. This act of exposure allowed his work colleagues to see the disturbing content, which ultimately led to police involvement.

Leeds Crown Court heard that Gothard had been engaging in these predatory activities since January of the previous year. He initially befriended a 10-year-old girl on Facebook by pretending to be a 15-year-old boy named Harry. Through this deception, he persuaded her to send nude photographs of herself. When she refused to call him, Gothard, still posing as Harry, threatened her by saying, “Your pictures are going to your parents and all around the internet if you do not ring.”

Undeterred, Gothard created a new profile, claiming to be a 16-year-old named Declan, and continued his manipulation. He successfully persuaded the young girl to send him a more explicit video of herself. His predatory behavior did not stop there. Two months later, he targeted a 14-year-old girl using the same fake profile. The teenager sent Gothard intimate pictures, but he demanded more sexually explicit videos, threatening to post her images on Facebook and tag her name to shame her.

Gothard’s threats escalated when he sent a message stating, “You have three hours to send one on Facebook. If it is not there when I log in tomorrow then I will post.” The victim, overwhelmed by fear and distress, confided in a friend about her suicidal thoughts. Her concern prompted her to contact the police. Officers responded promptly, visiting her home and speaking with her. During their visit, Gothard continued to send threatening messages, including one that said, “Listen, you do what I say and I won’t hurt you. Tick tock,” and another that implied she could avoid further harm by recruiting other young girls.

Law enforcement traced Gothard to his residence on Westfield Lane in South Elmsall. He was arrested approximately a month later. During police interviews, Gothard admitted to setting up the fake profiles after searching for images of young boys online. He claimed that his request for videos was made “in a moment of madness” but denied threatening the girls directly.

Despite his bail release during ongoing investigations, Gothard continued his offending behavior. He made contact with a 13-year-old girl, but her mother intercepted the messages and confronted him, exposing his activities publicly.

Gothard faced multiple charges, including four counts of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and one count of attempting to do so. He pleaded guilty to all charges. The court sentenced him to a custodial term of eight years, with an additional four years on extended license following his release.

Judge Tom Bayliss, QC, delivered a stern verdict, stating, “What you did to those children was every parent’s worst nightmare. You were corrupting those children for your own sexual pleasure, blackmailing them with the hope they would do more. Only through outstanding police work, this man has been brought to justice and the extent of what he has done has been exposed.”