A Newfoundland man is heading to prison for exploiting children in the U.K.

Corner Brook man Matthew Carter has been handed a hefty sentence for exploitingchildren over the internet and sharing child pornography.

Carter, 34, was arrested after a parent in the United Kingdom found out about the online abuse and reported it to police.

The Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit's child exploitation team conducted four "intensive investigations" involving four cases of children living in the UK.

They were 14 years of age and under.

"Mr. Carter exploited his victims over popular social networking applications," a CFSEU news release said.

"In one instance a watchful parent detected the abuse and notified police," said the release.

At provincial court in Corner Brook Wednesday, ajudge sentencedCarter to seven years in prison for:

• Distribution of Child Pornography.
• Transmitting Sexually Explicit Images to a Child for the Purpose of Facilitating a Sexual Offence against that Child.
• Attempting to Transmit Sexually Explicit Images to a Child for the Purpose of Facilitating a Sexual Offence against that Child.
• Communicating with a Child by Means of a Computer for the Purpose of Committing a Sexual Offence against that Child.

These cases in particular highlight the need for parents to monitor their child's online activity, the CFSEUsaid.

"An online predator can access children anywhere in the world."