Safety Beach: Man, 28, charged with sadistic sextortion of girl, aged 15

Police will allege the man had been grooming a teenager he met online and was threatening to send out videos of her carrying out various compromising acts. Watch the arrest.

A northern NSW has been charged with sadistic sextortion after allegedly coercing a teenage girl into committing sexual acts and self – harm online for nine months.

Police allege Jake Thomas Vandermeel, 28 had been grooming a 15-year-old girl he had met and engaged with via multiple online platforms and was threatening her to send videos of herself carrying out various compromising acts such as self-harming and performing sexual acts.

State Crime Commander of Sex Crimes Squad Detective Superintendent Jayne Doherty said Vandermeel allegedly first connected with the “vulnerable child” in October 2023 via a chatroom style platform online.

“The 28 year – old male connected with a 15 year – old on a platform designed to connect people with common interests,” she said on Thursday.

“We will further allege over the next nine months that male continued to have conversations with this child on a number of different platforms, including playing games with the children for up to six hours a day on platforms and purchasing gaming cards to keep her engaged.”

Sex Crimes Squad detectives have charged a man following an investigation into alleged sextortion in Coffs Harbour in the state’s north.

Detective Superintendent Doherty said also during those nine months, the man allegedly “manipulated” and “coerced” the young girl into committing acts of self – harm and sexual acts online for his own “sexual gratification” and “pleasure.”

“Police will allege he then threatened to abduct, rape and kill that child through conversations he had with her online,” she said.

The child was able to engage with the Kids Help Line shortly after, who notified police.

It comes as police warn parents generally about sadistic sextortion cases rising across the state, particularly involving young girls.

“We’re seeing a rise in sadistic sextortion – it’s relatively new, where we become used to hearing about children becoming vulnerable for financial gain but with sadistic sextortion an offender isn’t out to get money, he’s out to drive that child to do more and more sadistic things for his gratification,” Detective Superintendent Doherty said.

He was arrested and taken to Coffs Harbour police station, where he was charged.

The man, 28, was refused bail in court.

“We ask parents, be aware who your children are talking to online, be engaged in their online activity and look out for any red flags so children committing self harm or disconnecting from people within their home or their friends.

“Have these conversations with your kids about these people. They are out there.”

About 7.35am on Wednesday, strike force detectives – with assistance from Raptor Squad – attended an address in Safety Beach, about 30km north of Coffs Harbour, where they arrested Vandermeel.

During a search of the property, police located and seized various electronic devices which will undergo further forensic examination.

He was taken to Coffs Harbour Police Station, where he was hit with a string of charges including: Using a carriage service to engage in sexual activity with a child; to do/plan harm to person under 16 years; to groom under 16 years for sex; to threaten to kill; to threaten to serious harm; to send indecent material to person under 16 years; and to cause child sexual activity.

On Wednesday, Vandermeel was refused bail at Coffs Harbour Local Court and will return before that same court on December 10.

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