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
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Heaton Park announces death of its two donkeys following ‘complex’ health and age-related issues
Emily Sergeant
Heaton Park has made the devastating announcement that two more of its beloved donkeys have sadly passed away.
“It is with great sadness that today we announce the passing of Bonnie and Josh, our beloved donkeys, following advice of a vet and The Donkey Sanctuary who visited our Animal Centre,” Heaton Park & Hall announced on its official social platforms at the end of last week.
The death of Bonnie and Josh comes after two of the park’s other donkeys, Ralph and Lenny, also sadly passed away in June and October of last year, respectively.
Both donkeys were born at Heaton Park, and had been steady companions for each other over the last three decades.
Heaton Park announces death of its two donkeys following ‘complex’ health and age-related issues / Credit: Heaton Park & Hall
Josh managed to reach 29, and Bonnie an incredible 33 years of age before passing, and considering that The Donkey Sanctuary says the average life expectancy for a donkey is just over 30, reaching this age was said to be a ‘significant achievement’ for all who cared for Bonnie and Josh.
However in their later years though, both Bonnie and Josh were living with ‘complex’ health and age-related issues.
Ultimately, these complications were what led to them passing away last week.
“They were such kind and gentle souls, and this loss will be felt deeply by all staff, past and present, alongside our visitors,” Heaton Park’s statement continued.
Heaton Park staff closed out their statement thanking everyone who has ever visited the donkeys over the past couple of decades, and particularly the Donkey Welfare Advisers at The Donkey Sanctuary who have supported them and their donkey herd, especially in recent years.
40 people arrested as part of ‘week of action’ to close down active drug lines across Greater Manchester
Emily Sergeant
40 people arrested as part of ‘week of action’ organised last week by police to close down active drug lines across Greater Manchester.
Various policing activities took place alongside partners across all districts and boroughs as part of County Lines Intensification Week – which ran from Monday 2 – Sunday 8 March 2026 – with Greater Manchester Police (GMP) confirming that officers conducted a total of 30 warrants.
Warrants resulted in 40 arrests across Greater Manchester, with 20 active drugs lines closed down, as well as more than £34,000in cash and a substantial amount of class A and class B drugs seized.
Drugs seized included heroin, amphetamines, cocaine, and cannabis.
Mobile phones, weapons – including stun guns, zombie knives, crossbows, and an axe– were also confiscated, and to top it off, electric bikes, designer goods,and high-value electronic deviceswere also recovered during the process too.
40 people arrested as part of a ‘week of action’ to close down active drug lines across Greater Manchester / Credit: GMP
Some of the arrests made include six men, aged between 20 and 42, on suspicion of production of cannabis and abstracting electricity, and three men and one woman were arrested on suspicion of various drug-related offences.
County Lines Intensification Week ran as part of a national coordinated action targeting county lines offenders, removing dangerous drugs and weapons from our streets, and safeguarding vulnerable adults and children, GMP explained.
If you’re unfamiliar, County Lines is the use of dedicated phone lines to deal drugs from one location to another, and it is known for often exploiting children and vulnerable adults who are groomed and coerced into moving, storing, and selling drugs.
County Lines teams use the ‘four Ps’ as a strategy to tackle organised criminals trafficking drugs and safeguard vulnerable people – Prevent, Protect, Prepare, and Pursue.
More than £34,000 in cash was also seized by police / Credit: GMP
Speaking following the week of action, Detective Inspector John Schofield, from GMP’s Serious and Organised Crime Unit. said: “We have had a very busy and successful County Lines Intensification Week, with various lines disrupted thanks to the warrants we have executed.
“Intelligence gathered from the community played a vital role in us being able to conduct this activity, which saw 30 warrants, resulting in 40arrests and 20 drug lines closed down across Greater Manchester.
“This week’s action is a powerful example of our commitment to dismantle organised crime in our region.
Deputy Mayor of Safer and Stronger Communities, Kate Green, added: “County lines activity brings significant harm to our communities. It fuels the supply of dangerous drugs while exploiting children and vulnerable adults who are often groomed, coerced and threatened into criminal activity.
“That is why tackling this type of organised crime is a key priority for partners across Greater Manchester.”
Emily Sergeant -
22nd October 2025 
