A MONSTER has been jailed for telling a schoolgirl to self-harm through fake Snapchat accounts after giving her razor blades.
In a landmark case, a 42-year-old has become the first person to be convicted in the UK for encouraging a child to self-harm.
Karl Davies of Wirral, Merseyside, has been locked away for 20 years after encouraging a 14-year-old girl to self harm while sexually abusing her.
The beast groomed and manipulated his victim using six different Snapchat accounts where he adopted several personalities.
Stacey Gosling from the CPS, said: “As a seasoned prosecutor of grooming cases I have never before seen such sophisticated methods used to target a young person.”
Davies is the first to be prosecuted for encouraging or assisting self-harm involving a child under the Online Safety Act 2023.
The offences began in June 2023 where Davies used a Snapchat account under the name “Ben” to message the girl, who was just 13 at the time.
It quickly led to image sharing before “Ben” encouraged the girl to share images with another account under the name “Chris”.
Over the following weeks, several accounts contacted the girl, disappearing and reappearing at various points, with phone calls and further image sharing taking place.
The accounts were all managed by Karl Davies.
The accounts fell under different names and alternated between blackmailing her to send indecent images, or acting supportive of her issues.
This includes the girl being asked to send videos of her hurting herself, using items at the encouragement of the accounts.
By June 2024, one of the accounts under the name “Sean” told the girl she had to meet his friend “Mark” to engage in sexual acts.
That same month, under the guise of “Mark”, Davies travelled from his home in the Wirral to Stockport where he picked up the girl, then aged 14, in her school uniform – while there he abused the girl in his car.
The horrific abuse continued throughout June and July and he would sometimes tell the girl to send videos of their acts to other accounts.
Throughout this time, some of the accounts would encourage the girl to hurt herself.
Davies even provided her with a razor during one of their meet-ups for the purpose of self-harm – the girl would then sent photos of her injuries to Davies’ accounts.
An investigation was launched in January 2025 after the schoolgirl bravely come forward to Greater Manchester Police.
Davies was arrested on February 11 of this year at his family home – he had hidden his abuse for his wife and children, pretending to travel for work.
A powerful impact statement read by the girl’s social worker described the abuse as having a a “detrimental impact” on her emotional health as well as the “trauma and excruciating physical pain” she suffered.
“The strength it has taken for her to feel able to talk about the abuse has been astounding and I have seen a significant change in her demeanour having finally been able to tell her story,” the worked added.
Detective Sergeant Robert Griffiths, from GMP’s Stockport district said: “Davies callously and methodically exploited a vulnerable girl, subjecting her to disgusting abuse and vile, degrading acts.”
He went on to praise the victim saying “her bravery and resilience in providing information to officers was truly courageous” and she will continue to get the support she needs.
Stacey Gosling, Senior Crown Prosecutor for CPS North West, said: “Karl Davies went to great lengths to hide his identity and position himself as the child’s protector when he was anything but.
“He groomed the girl using six different Snapchat accounts, first luring her in with compliments and building her trust, before turning to threats when she wouldn’t share explicit materials and do what he asked of her.
“He also encouraged her to self-harm, giving no thought to the lasting impact his vile and cruel abuse would have on his young victim.
“I can only hope that as Davies begins his prison sentence, the victim can begin to move forward knowing her vile abuser has been brought to justice.”
Davies previously pleaded guilty to seventeen offences at his plea hearing at Manchester Crown Court on May 22.
This included ten counts of sexual activity with a child, four of grooming, and two of arranging or facilitating the commission of a child sex offence – he also plead guilty to encouraging or assisting serious self harm
That offence is one of the first prosecuted in the country and the first case prosecuted involving a child under the Online Safety Act 2023.
