A PERVERT sent a sexually explicit video and picture to a girl and racist voice messages to a woman in a shocking series of online harassment behaviour.

Ronan Ferris, of Goldfinch Drive, Bury, sent a wave of disturbing images and footages to people on Facebook and Snapchat between September and November last year.

He sent videos of himself performing sexual acts and invited some females to have sex with him, Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court heard.

On one occasion, Ferris, 22, sent an explicit video to a girl under 16 and when she told him her age he said "that did not matter to him" and sent her a picture of a naked man, prosecutor Gwen Henshaw said.

He also threatened to rape a female, told a man he would kidnap his child, and said he was going to kick a pregnant woman in the stomach, the court was told.

On one occasion he offered to give a lift to a female in a luxury car in which she would be taken to have sex at a brothel in Tottingham to make money, the court heard.

In another case, a dad of a young female who had been sent sexual messages sent a message warning Ferris away.

But he responded by sending a video of himself masturbating.

Ferris also messaged a woman and made comments about one of her friends, which she "took exception to".

He then sent a barrage of racist voice messages to her and threatened to "bounce a brick off her head".

Ferris added that he had coronavirus and would cough in her face, Ms Henshaw added.

He also sent an explicit video of an underage girl to a number of people.

After becoming aware of Ferris' behaviour online, a woman set up a social media profile posing as an underage girl and received sexual messages from him.

He also sent numerous messages to people advertising the cost of sexual services.

A number of victim impact statements were read out in which those who were subjected to Ferris' social media attacks expressed how "sickened", "shocked" and "disturbed" they were by his behaviour.

In a separate incident – which happened two years before in September 2018 – Ferris got involved in a "scuffle" with someone on a tram at a Metrolink stop in Bury.

He admitted to being in possession a butter knife.

Ms Henshaw said Ferris had 12 previous convictions for 24 offences, including a harassment case.

Defending, Michael James said Ferris apologises for his behaviour and the distress caused to his victims.

Mr James said Ferris was short of money and was aware of an internet site called OnlyFans, which he viewed as a way of making money during the pandemic.

Ferris wanted to create his own amateur pornographic site, said Mr James, who labelled the idea as "fantasist".

In regard to the indecent photograph of a child he sent to a number of people, Ferris, who may have a personality disorder and suffers with depression and anxiety, said he did not know the girl was underage.

He also said he was in possession of the butter knife on the tram for his own protection.

Ferris pleaded guilty to five counts of sending indecent offensive electronic messages, racially aggravated harassment, one count of sexual communication with a child, attempted sexual communication with a child, three counts of distributing indecent photographs of a child and possession of a bladed article.

Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court

Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court

Judge Angela Nield sentenced Ferris to two years and five months in prison and issued a 10-year sexual harm prevention order.

She told Ferris: "You invited a significant number of individuals to join you in the production of what can broadly be described as pornographic videos.

"This continued despite the constant requests of those who you were messaging that you stop.

"Some of the threats that you made were frankly appalling including threats of rape and a threat to one of the complainants that you were, amongst other things, going to kidnap his young child.

"The bizarre excuse that you have put forward for your behaviour is that you were endeavouring to set up what you have referred to us an amateur pornographic site where sexual images of a highly offensive nature were exchanged between groups of individuals.

"If that indeed was so, then your efforts to build a business were not conducted with a great deal of skill, particularly when those who you approached clearly wanted nothing to do with you."

Judge Nield added that Ferris denies being sexually interested in children despite sending messages to victims that them being underage did not matter to him.