British ‘cyber predator’ arrested in Barcelona

NATIONAL POLICE investigators have located and detained a British fugitive from justice who has been on the run since the beginning of the year.

24-year-old Cory Baptiste is accused of deceiving children to perform sex acts on the internet, and he had been working at an Essex school until he was arrested in January.

Described as a ‘cyber-predator’ in the Spanish press, he was ordered to attend Basildon Crown Court to answer two counts of causing or inciting sexual activity with a minor and three counts of provoking a minor to witness a sexual act, but vanished before the trial.

The UK authorities promptly issued a European Arrest and Delivery Warrant, placing him on the list of most wanted criminals.

When committing his crimes, he allegedly used bogus social network accounts which made it appear as though he was a child and allowed him to make contact with a number of students who attended the school at which he was employed.

Once he had gained their confidence, he encouraged the victims, all of who were aged between 12 and 15, to undress and show their private parts to their webcams.

Spanish detectives suspected that Baptiste was living in Barcelona under a false identity, regularly changing addresses to avoid detection, but they tracked him down and arrested him in the city centre.