The moment a vile criminal accidentally filmed himself - and brought about his own downfall

A serial sex offender posed as a model scout for major clothing companies to trap his victims - but was caught out after accidentally filming himself while online. The ruse was one of several used by David Harmes, who over a six-month period targeted nearly 50 children aged six to 15 - all but one were female.

The 27-year-old from Winsford, Cheshire, has admitted 88 sex offences involving 39 victims in the UK and a further six in the USA. Harmes had just served a sentence for similar crimes when he was released on February 14, 2019. But within five months he had begun offending again in a spree which latest from July to September that year.

Harmes, formerly of Wharton Gardens, appeared at Chester Crown Court today (July 24) to plead guilty to a string of offences including possessing, making and distributing indecent images, inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, sexual communication with a child and engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child. He was remanded in custody to be sentenced on September 5th.

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He was caught after accidentally filming his own face for a couple of seconds on his laptop while posing as one of his aliases. Harmes used a range of guises to draw his victims in, including a model scout for major clothing outlets called Jess, or a boy called Jaden or Alex, or Jadenthelad.

He would draw them in after spotting them on YouTube or Instagram. He would keep his real identity hidden.

Investigating officer DS Mark Naylor from the Constabulary’s Major Crime Directorate said: “Having received intelligence that Harmes was offending, his laptops, phones and other digital devices were seized in a warrant at