Alex McPhie: Albion Park Snapchat paedophile blackmailed American high school cheerleader

A Snapchat deviant who preyed on three girls between the ages of 10 and 15 – including an American freshman cheerleader – has been jailed. Read about the shocking offending.

Snapchat creep Alex McPhie learnt his fate in Wollongong District Court on Thursday. Picture: Dylan Arvela

An Illawarra paedophile has been jailed for his depraved crimes, which included blackmailing an American high school cheerleader into undertaking degrading sex acts.

Alex James McPhie, 26, was sentenced to up to six years behind bars in Wollongong District Court on Thursday after previously pleading guilty to six “grave and cruel” offences.

The court heard how McPhie, who was living in Wagga Wagga during some of the offending, connected with an American girl through Instagram and Snapchat with the two first speaking when the victim was 13 or 14.

In January 2019, McPhie threatened to email the girl’s school about “images of a student who does cheerleading” and told her ”do what I say and this will all be over in 10 minutes”.

The court heard the traumatic experience, which McPhie saved on his phone, was not over in 10 minutes, instead it spanned more than 35 minutes.

The court heard how the victim wiped away tears and begged for McPhie to stop as he demanded her to undress.

Alex McPhie was jailed for up to six years. Picture: Dylan Arvela

The video concluded with the girl saying “I‘m done” with McPhie replying “You’re done for now”.

Previously tendered court documents relating to the two other victims stated McPhie went by the username “Matty34” while masquerading as a 13-year-old boy.

He added a 10-year-old Australian girl in December, 2019, and told her he “loved her body”, before sending her a picture of his penis and pressuring her to send him a picture of her vagina.

The girl‘s 11-year-old sister confronted McPhie on Snapchat, calling him a “skanky old c**t” and to delete or block her.

“What will you do to make sure I don’t,” McPhie said.

“Do you really want them (the photos of the 10-year-old girl) kept a secret … what are you wearing?”

McPhie threatened to send her sister’s photos “around everywhere” and blamed the older girl.

Alex McPhie used the Snapchat username “Matty34”.

The children told their mother with police managing to locate McPhie using his IP location and Snapchat history to link “Matty34” to his address, as well as that of his family and girlfriend.

During a search of his Albion Park home police seized two iPhones containing a child abuse material including photos sent by the 10-year-old girl.

There were a total of 34 items of child abuse material featuring an age range of three to 16-years-old with police also finding a screenshot of a NSW Police Q&A website dubbed “Child pornography over the internet”.

In court on Thursday, McPhie said his offending was spurred on by loneliness and alcohol abuse when he moved to Wagga due to his partner’s work.

McPhie said Covid exacerbated the issues, however, Judge Siobhan Herbert highlighted the pandemic had not hit at the time of his charges.

Alex McPhie could be eligible for parole in four years. Picture: Facebook

The offender revealed his partner had stuck by him until his criminal behaviour was published in late 2022 with McPhie telling the court he had received threats through social media.

McPhie, who was supported in court by his father and the father of his ex, said he did not have a sexual attraction to children but was prepared to seek treatment.

“He doesn‘t accept he has a sexual attraction to children while he was sitting there masturbating to a 10-year-old?” Judge Herbert scorned while also casting doubt over a defence submission McPhie was “empathetic” to his victims.

“A child was crying throughout what happened to her. He showed a stark lack of empathy while he was pleasuring himself throughout the video.”

McPhie could be eligible for parole in April 2027.