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Mark and Ros Dowey (PC: BBC News)
The parents of a British teenager who took his own life after falling victim to sextortion have urged criminals to stop “terrorising” vulnerable individuals.
A report by BBC posted on Monday noted that a 16-year-old from Dunblane, Scotland, Murray Dowey, died last year after being blackmailed by individuals believed to be operating from West Africa.
The criminals reportedly tricked him into sharing intimate images, which were then used to extort him.
Murray’s parents, Mark and Ros Dowey, described the devastating impact of the crime in a recorded video message.
Addressing the perpetrators, they said, “You’re abusing children. You’ve ended Murray’s life. How would they feel if it was their child, their little brother, or their friend? It’s so cruel, and this is children. It’s abuse.”
Continuing, they said, “You’re terrorising people, children, for some money, and I don’t think in any society that is in any way acceptable.”
Sextortion schemes have become a growing criminal enterprise in Nigeria, often involving young men known as “yahoo boys.”
A BBC News investigation earlier this year revealed guides for engaging in such crimes are openly available for purchase online.
A Nigerian blackmailer, speaking anonymously to BBC journalists, likened sextortion to an “industry” and admitted treating it like a game.
“I know that it’s bad, but I just call it survival of the fittest,” he said.
Explaining further, he said, “It depends on the fish you catch. You might throw the hook in the sea and catch a small fish or a big fish.”
However, after being shown the Doweys’ recorded message, he appeared visibly affected, saying, “I’m almost crying. I feel very bad.”
Murray’s parents also directed their anger at telecommunication companies, accusing them of failing to do enough to protect young people.
Ros stated, “I think they’ve got blood on their hands. The technologies are there for them to stop so many of these crimes.”
Mark added, “They won’t stop because it costs money, and it will stop them making more billions than they’re already making.”
Sextortion crimes typically involve criminals sending victims an explicit image or video and coercing them into sharing their own. Victims are then threatened with exposure unless they comply with demands, a pressure that police believe led to Murray’s death.
According to the UK’s National Crime Agency, boys aged 14 to 18 make up a significant proportion of sextortion victims. Police also note that many cases go unreported due to fear or embarrassment.
Mark Dowey described his son as “a really lovely kid” and said the family had no warning of what was happening.
“He went up to his room, and he was absolutely fine. And you know, we found him dead the next morning,” he added.
Ros said, “We had no chance to intervene, to notice there was something wrong and try and help and fix it.”
The Dowey family is now part of a campaign aimed at raising awareness about sextortion.
The Fearless campaign, launched in Edinburgh, is a collaboration between Police Scotland, Crimestoppers, and the Scottish Government. It warns young people about the risks of sharing intimate images online and provides advice on seeking help if targeted.
Assistant Chief Constable Steve Johnson stressed the importance of reporting such crimes.
“It’s difficult but not impossible to track offenders,” he said, pledging to pursue criminals regardless of where they operate.
Mark and Ros concluded with a message for young victims.
They said, “There’s nothing that is worth taking your own life for. If something happens to you, put that phone down, go to someone you trust, and tell them. We can’t have this happening to more children, what happened to Murray.”
