A PROLIFIC sex offender who allegedly posed as a female escort to extort funds from victims has been remanded in custody.

Scott Toothill (35), from Glendarragh Park, Ederney, is charged with inciting prostitution, fraud by posing as a female and offering sexual services, blackmail, and concealing criminal property.

A Detective Constable (DC) told Strabane Magistrates Court on Thursday, May 9, that all charges, which allegedly occurred between August, 2021, and November, 2022, could be connected.

She explained Toothill is a registered sex offender and subject to indefinite registration.

He is also subject to a Sexual Offences Prevention Order (SOPO), due to previous behaviour which began in 2012 when he incited a child to engage in sexual activity and attempted to facilitate child prostitution.

In November, 2022, police commenced an investigation after he was found with an unapproved mobile phone and five SIM cards.

Analysis revealed he had posed as a female escort on various social media platforms using at least 12 different names.

More than 700,000 pieces of data from his phone and bank account were examined which demonstrate “the sheer volume and scale of offending”, the court heard.

The court further heard there are more than 100 unidentified victims worldwide, involving fraud, whereby Toothill, pretending to be a female escort, arranged payment for sexual services, with some victims blackmailed with exposure if they didn’t pay him.

Toothill has also allegedly engaged with several females whom he tried to involve in prostitution.

Alongside the unknown victims are a further six who are identified and have provided reports of fraud and blackmail.

Two are females whose images and personal details were used by Toothill to set up fake accounts on escort websites, “causing great distress due to the amount of sexual requests received”.

The others are four male victims of Toothill’s posing as a female escort advertising sexual services and obtaining payment; however, no meeting ever took place.

The DC said: “Analysis shows approximately £171,000 entering and leaving the defendant’s bank account, all believed to be from fraud and blackmail.

“He has employed the use of two co-accused to collect money on his behalf who take a small cut, but the majority is very swiftly transferred to the defendant.”

Strongly objecting to bail, the DC set out Toothill’s 34 previous convictions, of which 33 are of high relevance, with “a repeated pattern of offending for around 15 years which has gradually grown more prolific”.

In 2009, Toothill posed as a female and arranged to meet a male for oral sex; however, the victim was struck on the head with a hammer and robbed.

In 2011, he claimed to work in a model agency and attempted to engage four teenage females in pornographic photoshoots.

In 2017, he was convicted of breaching his SOPO, controlling and inciting prostitution and fraud.

“The current offending is an exact repeat, and the list of injured parties is growing constantly,” said the DC.

“He cannot control his compulsive behaviour. He has concealed multiple mobile devices and SIM cards on numerous occasions.

“At the time of this offending, he was subject to the highest category of sex offender management, but was able to commit these offences regardless.”

Toothill is also on bail for the alleged rape of a sex worker who agreed to travel to Northern Ireland to meet him “under false pretences and was subject to certain sexual acts over a number of days which she did not consent to”.

Defence counsel pointed out Toothill was arrested on leaving prison after serving a custodial term for breaching the SOPO, continuing: “He’s on licence, under a SOPO, and will be subject to extreme scrutiny and monitoring, so could therefore be released.”

However, refusing bail, District Judge Alana McSorley said: “This is a prolific sexual offender and the risks could not be managed.”

The case will be mentioned again at Enniskillen Magistrates Court on June 3.