Man jailed after ‘abusing and isolating’ young Manchester teen he groomed on social media
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.
#JAILED | Man jailed for nine years for grooming and isolating young girl in Manchester following swift investigation from officers and partners
— Greater Manchester Police (@gmpolice) March 4, 2025
Specialist agencies were deployed to safeguard the victim and her family and offer them the support and care they needed pic.twitter.com/Z5wzGdaRfr
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.
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.
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“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