Legal first as online groomer is jailed for 20 years

A “sadistic” online groomer has been jailed for 20 years for sexually abusing a girl of 14.

- Josh Halliday

Karl Davies, 43, contacted the “extremely vulnerable” child on the gaming app Discord and targeted her using fake profiles on Snapchat.

He becomes the first person in the UK to be prosecuted for encouraging a child to self-harm, an offence under the Online Safety Act 2023.

The girl, who had been in care and had learning disabilities and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, was tricked into sending explicit videos and footage of self-harm.

Davies’ sentence will include 20 years of imprisonment and being on licence for an extra five years because of the severity of the crimes.

At Manchester crown court, Judge Manley called him “depraved and sadistic” and said he had “plumbed the depths of abhorrent behaviour”.

The judge added: “You have displayed a monstrous sense of sexual entitlement and a sick desire for control, and you will go to any lengths to get what you want. For a year after your arrest your victim has been deprived of education and friends.