Online predator Muhammed Rasheed sentenced over sick crimes targeting hundreds of women and girls

Australia’s worst online predator has been sentenced to 17 years in prison.

Perth man Muhammed Rasheed, 29, pretended to be a famous YouTube star to blackmail hundreds of women and girls into providing intimate images and videos.

WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Australia’s worst online predator jailed for blackmailing woman and children.

Rasheed blinked back tears as he learnt his fate.

Judge Amanda Burrows said “there is no comparable case… in Australia” for these “extremely serious” crimes.

Rasheed targeted 286 women and girls in just 11 months. His victims were spread across 20 countries, including 20 here in Australia.

At least 180 were children and the youngest was just seven years old.

In an apology letter read to the District Court, Rasheed said he targeted children “because it was easier for him.”

The 29-year-old engineer found his victims on Instagram, where he posed as a 15-year-old celebrity.

He engaged the women and girls in a game of 20 questions, starting innocently with “what’s your favourite food?”

Then it escalated to “what is your bra size?” or “what is your darkest secret?”

He’d use their responses as blackmail, threatening to send screenshots to their friends and family.

“Should I send this to Ur followers?” he asked one.

“Now pick up my call… and do everything I say.

“Show Ur bra…show it…10 seconds left… don’t end it or I’m sending.”

With each image sent, Rasheed gained more control over his young victims and forced them into “unspeakable” acts, which he live-streamed to chatrooms full of paedophiles.

“They are the worst crimes perpetrated against the most vulnerable people in the community, which are children,” Australian Federal Police Commander Graeme Marshall told 7NEWS.

“Some of the children are begging the perpetrator to leave them alone. Some of the children have actually spoken in the chats with the perpetrator about self-harm.”

In preparing for sentencing, Judge Amanda Burrows said there was “nothing comparable” to this offending in Australian history.

The power that Rasheed wielded over these children and what he forced them to do has shocked even the most seasoned detectives.

But Marshall wants parents to be aware of this case and monitor their children’s activity online.

“Perpetrators can access children through social media. That is one avenue. But anything that has a chat capability (is a risk) including online gaming,” he said.

Parents are also encouraged to talk to the children about exploitation, so they feel comfortable coming forward.

“Police can’t tackle the problem if we don’t know about it,” Marshall said.

“But more than that, you are likely to not be the only victim of that particular person. So, by coming forward, you can actually assist other victims that are in the same circumstance as you.

“You do not have to be ashamed, and you do not have to feel embarrassed. What is happening to you is not your fault.”

Rasheed will be eligible for parole in 2033.