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UK Groomer Jailed for 20 Years in First Online Safety Act Conviction for Encouraging Child Self-Harm

The Manchester case marks an early use of the act's self-harm offence against a predator who manipulated a vulnerable 13-year-old through fake accounts.

Overview

  • Karl Davies, 42, pleaded guilty to 17 child sex offences plus encouraging or assisting serious self-harm and received a five-year extended licence and an indefinite restraining order.
  • He used multiple fake personas on Snapchat and Discord over about a year to coerce indecent images, issue threats, and obtain videos of self-harm after providing razors.
  • The grooming escalated to in-person assaults when he collected the girl from school in June and July 2024 and sexually assaulted her in his car on several occasions.
  • Police traced a leased Seat Ateca identified by the victim in a detailed interview, arresting Davies on 11 February 2025 before his guilty pleas on 22 May.
  • Greater Manchester Police described him as “sadistic” and warned he may have sought other targets though none are known, while a prior 2020 NCA arrest did not lead to charges.