MANILA, Philippines (AP) — A Philippine court has sentenced an American to life in prison on charges of sexually exploiting children using webcams to sell videos, photos and livestreams to buyers abroad.

The National Bureau of Investigation says the conviction of David Timothy Deakin is a strong warning to offenders that they cannot hide even if they commit sexual exploitation in cyberspace because law enforcers are collaborating worldwide to catch them.

The ruling was handed down online because of coronavirus quarantine restrictions. A study released last week says the Philippines has emerged as a global hot spot for online child sexual exploitation, with cases increasing sharply in recent years.