A man who encouraged a vulnerable young girl to self-harm while sexually abusing her over a period of several months has been jailed for life.
Karl Davies, a 42-year-old from the Wirral in Merseyside, posed as several different men using fake social media profiles and adopted various different personalities, all in a bid to groom and manipulate his young victim.
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) offences began back in June 2023, when a Snapchat account using the name ‘Ben’ messaged the victim – a girl who was aged just 13 at the time.
The communication soon 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 re-appearing at various points, with phone calls and further image sharing taking place.
However the accounts were, in fact, all managed by Karl Davies.
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Davies used the accounts to alternate between blackmailing the victim to send indecent images, or acting supportive of her issues, and this continued for several months, with the girl sending multiple videos at the request of the different accounts – including being asked to send videos of her hurting herself, using items at the encouragement of the accounts.
Eventually, by June 2024, one of the accounts under the name ‘Sean’ told the girl that she had to meet his friend ‘Mark’ to engage in sexual acts.
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#JAILED | An abuser has been jailed for 20 years for sexual offences and encouraging a child to self-harm in a landmark GMP case.
That very same month, Davies – under the guise of ‘Mark’ – travelled from his home address in the Wirral to Stockport, where he picked up the girl, then aged 14, in her school uniform, and abused her in his car.
This occurred several times throughout June and July, and also during this time, some of the accounts encouraged the girl to hurt herself – with Davies providing her with a razor during one of their meet-ups for the purpose of self-harm.
In January 2025, the girl bravely came forward, and during an interview with police, went through all the details of the incidents.
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A police investigation was immediately launched, before Davies was subsequently arrested on 11 February this year and remanded in custody.
His sentencing came earlier this week (20 October 2025) at Manchester Crown Court, after he previously pleaded guilty to seventeen offences at his hearing on 22 May – including 10 counts of sexual activity with a child, four of grooming, and two of arranging or facilitating the commission of a child sex offence.
Davies additionally pleaded guilty to the offence of encouraging or assisting serious self-harm, and it’s this conviction that makes it such a ‘landmark’ case for GMP.
That offence – which falls under the Online Safety Act 2023 – is one of the first prosecuted in the country, and the first case prosecuted which involved a child.
“As a seasoned prosecutor of grooming cases I have never before seen such sophisticated methods used to target a young person,” commented Stacey Gosling, who is a Senior Crown Prosecutor for CPS North West.
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“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 has been jailed for 20 years, with an additional five years on licence.
Featured Image – GMP
News
Westlife announce huge 25th anniversary tour, including an arena show in Manchester
Daisy Jackson
Legendary pop group Westlife have just announced the European leg of their 25th anniversary tour, which will include an arena gig in Manchester.
The beloved boyband will be hitting the road from September next year to celebrate a quarter-of-a-century of timeless ballads and chart-topping pop songs.
Westlife, which is made up of Nicky Byrne, Shane Filan, Kian Egan and Mark Feehily, are behind massive hits like You Raise Me Up, Uptown Girl, Flying Without Wings, Swear It Again, and If I Let You Go.
The upcoming Westlife 25: The Anniversary World Tour will include shows right across the UK, including in Manchester, Leeds and Sheffield.
The news comes just ahead of the group performing two sold-out nights at the Royal Albert Hall, and sell-out success in Dublin and Belfast already.
Over the last 25 years, Westlife have become one of the most successful pop groups of all time, with three billion streams globally, 36 number one albums worldwide, and 14 UK number one singles (ranking only behind Elvis Presley and The Beatles).
Westlife remain the UK & Ireland’s top-selling album group of the 21st century.
Westlife have also just released new single Chariot, written by Ed Sheeran, Johnny McDaid and Will Reynolds and co-written and produced by Steve Mac.
And in February next year (just in time for Valentine’s Day), they’ll release 25 – The Ultimate Collection, a greatest hits album of 21 fan favourites.
Westlife said: “This year marks 25 years since we started this incredible journey together and it still feels like only the beginning.
“The support from our fans has been unbelievable, and to celebrate with this world tour, new music, and a brand-new album feels truly special.
“We can’t wait to see you all on the road and share this next chapter together.”
Westlife will perform at the Co-op Live in Manchester on 23 October 2026.
General sale tickets will go on sale on Friday 31 October at 10am HERE, with VIP packages available through Seat Unique HERE.
Westlife UK and Ireland tour dates
15 September 2026 – Dublin – 3Arena
16 September 2026 – Dublin – 3Arena
18 September 2026 – Dublin – 3Arena
19 September 2026 – Dublin – 3Arena
20 September 2026 – Dublin – 3Arena
22 September 2026 – Dublin – 3Arena
23 September 2026 – Dublin – 3Arena
24 September 2026 – Dublin – 3Arena
25 September 2026 – Dublin – 3Arena
26 September 2026 – Dublin – 3Arena
29 September 2026 – Aberdeen – P&J Live
30 September 2026 – Glasgow – OVO Hydro
3 October 2026 – Newcastle – Utilita Arena
6 October 2026 – Leeds – First Direct Bank Arena
7 October – Sheffield – Utilita Arena
9 October – London – The O2
13 October – Brighton – Centre
14 October – Bournemouth – International Centre
16 October – Birmingham – Utilita Arena
19 October – Cardiff – Utilita Arena
23 October – Manchester – Co-op Live
27 October 2026 – Belfast – SSE Arena
28 October 2026 – Belfast – SSE Arena
29 October 2026 – Belfast – SSE Arena
30 October 2026 – Belfast – SSE Arena
31 October 2026 – Belfast – SSE Arena
Featured image: Publicity picture
News
Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman to step down from Strictly Come Dancing
Danny Jones
Long-serving Strictly Come Dancing presenters Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman have announced that they will be stepping down from the beloved reality TV competition after more than three decades between them.
The Strictly team will, of course, ‘keep dancing’, but this still feels like the end of an era.
While Claudia Winkleman only became a joint co-anchor back in 2010 in preparation for the legendary Sir Bruce Forsyth’s eventual retirement in 2014, Tess Daly has been one of the two lead presenters since the hit smash-hit UK show first started way back in 2004.
Boasting a cumulative and incredible 31 years as the respective lead faces on one of the nation’s favourite IPs, Daly and Winkleman released a joint video on their social media pages confirming the bittersweet news.
Writing in the caption on Instagram, the pair said: “We have loved working as a duo and hosting Strictly has been an absolute dream. We were always going to leave together, and now feels like the right time.
“We will have the greatest rest of this amazing series, and we just want to say an enormous thank you to the BBC and to every single person who works on the show.
“They’re the most brilliant team, and we’ll miss them every day. We will cry when we say the last ‘keep dancing’, but we will continue to say it to each other. Just possibly in tracksuit bottoms at home while holding some pizza.”
Although Winkleman, 53, began as the presenter of the spin-off programme ‘It Takes Two’, it now seems hard to imagine the main show without either of them.
Confirming that they will be departing the British telly favourite at the end of the current series, which is around a month into its 23rd series.
Daly, 56, went on to share a further statement addressing the decision to quit the Strictly lineup after such a lengthy stay on BBC One.
It goes without saying that, much like when ‘Brucey’ left 11 years ago now, the show just won’t be the same without them.
For now, all we can say is thanks for all the memories, and we’d better see them back in the ballroom or popping up for special cameos in Blackpool again one day soon.
What do you make of the announcement, Strictly fans – and who do you think should replace them?
Emily Sergeant -
22nd October 2025 
