A man has been jailed after ‘abusing and isolating’ a young teenage girl from Manchester who he groomed on social media.
David Stewart, from Birmingham, has been jailed this week after pleading guilty to two counts of sexual activity with a child under 16, meeting up with a child following sexual grooming, child abduction, and witness intimidation.
He is also subject to an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order and a restraining order.
The 25-year-old’s sentencing comes after Manchester Children’s Services received a disclosure from a parent who had serious concerns about the inappropriate behaviour of Stewart towards her teenage daughter back in August 2023.
Following notice of the report, officers and partners based in Greater Manchester Police‘s (GMP) multi-agency Complex Safeguarding Hub immediately launched an investigation to understand the serious allegations, while specialist agencies were also deployed to safeguard the victim and her family.
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#JAILED | Man jailed for nine years for grooming and isolating young girl in Manchester following swift investigation from officers and partners
Specialist agencies were deployed to safeguard the victim and her family and offer them the support and care they needed pic.twitter.com/Z5wzGdaRfr
— Greater Manchester Police (@gmpolice) March 4, 2025
GMP’s investigation uncovered that around May 2023, Stewart contacted the victim – who was a 13-year-old girl at the time – on social media, and over several months, groomed her, isolated her from support, repeatedly lured her away from family, and went on to sexually exploit her.
Stewart was subsequently arrested on suspicion of sexual grooming in September 2023.
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He was bailed while detectives built a case, but was given a child abduction warning notice, which prohibited him from contacting the victim or spending time with her.
Despite this, police received intelligence in December 2023 that Stewart was still in contact with the victim and had even lured her to the airport where he sexually abused her.
Stewart was then swiftly re-arrested in the West Midlands, and was transported back to Manchester where he was charged and remanded so that he could not be a risk to anyone.
“Stewart manipulated and abused this young girl to satisfy his own depraved sexual urges,” explained Detective Inspector Chris Chadderton following the sentencing.
“He continued to offend whilst under police investigation, demonstrating his callous and brazen nature, so I am pleased that this sentence has been passed down and he is now behind bars.”
Featured Image – GMP
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Pat Regan at the Fairfield Social Club – a brilliantly unhinged evening of standup comedy
Clementine Hall
There’s a particular kind of chaos that only Pat Regan can deliver, and the recently re-recognised Fairfield Social Club got the full force of it last night.
Making his Manchester debut as part of the ‘A Lovely Time’ series at the equally as lovely Fairfield Social Club, the New York comic, writer, and podcast host arrived with the energy of someone who had already lived through three emotional breakdowns before breakfast and somehow still had the worst to come.
Known for his work on HBO’s Hacks and the cult-favourite podcast Seek Treatment with fellow comic Catherine Cohen, Regan’s stand-up feels less like your traditional comedy set and more like being trapped in the world’s funniest group chat.
The perfectly intimate room beneath Fairfield’s railway arches was packed with adoring fans who were immediately on side as Regan launched into stories about traumatic trips to Paris, Grindr dates, massage tables and having crushes at the gym.
The audience was in the palm of his slightly sweaty hands (don’t worry, he’ll be fine with me saying so), laughing at every awkward punchline and self-deprecating anecdote.
The material is nothing groundbreaking, but this is what makes it so deeply hilarious; never before has shopping for the perfect pair of jeans been so serious and unserious at the same time.
There was laughter rolling through the venue for virtually the entire set, and after an hour of never-ending quips and jokes, we were left wanting more.
And the best part is, it won’t be long until we get more from this place, and it’s no wonder they’re starting to get the hosting plaudits they deserve.
It’s safe to say Fairfield Social Club has become one of Manchester’s most exciting homes for alternative comedy, and this felt like exactly the sort of booking that justifies its growing reputation.
By the time Regan left the stage, the audience looked equal parts exhausted and delighted. An absolutely classy evening indeed.
Find out about what else is on at the Fairfield Social Club HERE.
First-ever JD Wetherspoon pub to open at Manchester Airport
Danny Jones
In news that we feel many Mancs and travellers all-round have been waiting on for a long time, the well-known British chain, JD Wetherspoon, will be opening its first-ever pub at Manchester Airport.
That’s right: soon that first airport pint of the holiday could actually be a relatively cheap one.
While Wetherspoons are no strangers to popping up in terminals across the UK and Ireland, they’ve never done so here in Manchester despite having three, yes THREE, in Gatwick alone.
Not for much longer, though, as soon T2 will be lending more than 3,000 square feet of its prime leisure and retail real estate to a new Greater Manchester ‘Spoons’.
Posting on social media, the airport wrote: “Wetherspoon comes to Manchester Airport this September! The pub will be located in the Terminal 2 Departures lounge and will have more than 300 seats.
“This will become the final major food and drink venue to open its doors as part of our decade-long £1.3bn transformation of Terminal 2. It will be named ‘The Belle Vue’, in a nod to Manchester’s historic showground [now a sports complex and leisure hub].
“It was a focal point for social life in the city from the Victorian period up until 2020, when the final event was held at Belle Vue stadium. The design of the pub is inspired by the history of Belle Vue and the sporting culture of the North West of England. We look forward to welcoming you all in September!”
While a lot of money has been pumped into T2’s refurb as a whole over the past few years, it remains unclear just how much this particular new addition will cost; we do know that great sums were set aside for the launch of the Great Northern Market last year.
The inaugural Manchester Airport Spoons is just the latest in a series of major renovations.
As mentioned, the company already operate several up and down the country – 10 airport pubs, to be specific – but this will be the first in the North West.
Speaking on the news, JD Wetherspoon chief executive John Hutson said in a statement: “We are looking forward to opening at Manchester Airport. We believe our new pub will prove popular with travellers of all ages and be an asset to the new terminal.”
With Manchester Airport adding a dozen new routes to its roster this summer, you can expect to see even more people flying in and out than ever – no doubt having already polished off a cut-price pint or two beforehand.
Emily Sergeant -
5th March 2025 
