Hunting the Predators: World of online blackmailer exposed

The world of one of the UK’s most prolific online predators has been exposed in a new documentary.

With unprecedented access, Prime Suspect: Hunting the Predators enters the dark world of the biggest online predators investigated by the National Crime Agency (NCA).

The second episode focuses on Anthony Burns, formerly of Lowestoft in Suffolk, who was sentenced to a 24-year custodial term and an extended five-year period on licence in January 2024 for blackmailing women into depraved sexual acts and child abuse.

In the programme, Hayley, who is struggling for money, tells how a friend suggests she join a “sugar daddy” site where rich men will pay women for their company. Immediately, she is contacted by a handsome American millionaire.

He’s charming, and when he asks for a few intimate videos of Hayley for $600, she thinks it’s a way to solve her issues.

Sophie, who is looking for love on a dating site, tells of how a “cheeky chappie” starts messaging her.

For both women, their conversations are moved to WhatsApp, and their online relationships takes a darker, coercive turn.

Like countless others, they have fallen victim to predator, Anthony Burns. Unseen interviews carried out with Burns while on remand in prison reveal that he’s not the handsome millionaire he claimed to be.

Instead, Burns is a serial “catfish” and blackmailer who controls and abuses his victims through deception and threats.

While Sophie, fearing for her life, reports him to the police, Hayley quickly becomes trapped in a cycle of abuse and blackmail, fearing that Burns will expose her to family and friends.

Pushed to breaking point, Hayley goes to the police, but like Sophie, receives news that her “overseas” abuser cannot be traced, and her case is closed.

Her abuser is, in fact, convicted child abuser Anthony “Danny” Burns, 39, who hones his abuse and blackmail skills under the tutoring of Abdul Elahi, who would go on to receive the highest number of convictions of any sex offender in the UK.

When Burns is arrested by the NCA, Robert Slater, senior investigating officer, and his team uncover Burns’ secret cloud account with over half a million images and videos of female and child sexual abuse.

It’s evidence he’s a calculating blackmailer who screen records abuse for his own sexual gratification.

Hayley and Sophie prepare to go to court to give evidence and face their predator, but at the last minute, Burns admits to 44 out of 46 charges.

A jury would find him guilty of the final two charges and he is sentenced to 24 years imprisonment.

Prime Suspect: Hunting the Predators continues on Channel 5 at 9pm on Wednesday, March 5.