"Disgusting acts": Sheffield teen encouraged vulnerable girl to self-harm
South Yorkshire Police has secured the county’s first conviction for encouraging serious self-harm under new legislation, following a case involving threatening online messages sent to a vulnerable teenage girl.
The conviction comes following the introduction of the Online Safety Act 2023.
Detectives brought a charge against a 17-year-old boy from Sheffield, who sent threatening and sinister online messages to a vulnerable girl.
The victim, who is from outside the South Yorkshire area, was left so frightened by the messages that she felt she had no choice but to comply with his demands and self-harm.
She is now receiving appropriate support and safeguarding.
The offender, who cannot be named for legal reasons due to his age, appeared before Sheffield Crown Court on Tuesday, January 20, where he pleaded guilty to encouraging or assisting the self-harm of another.
This marks South Yorkshire Police’s first charge and conviction for the offence, and the first conviction nationally involving a juvenile offender under this legislation.
At the same hearing, the defendant also admitted causing a child over the age of 13 to engage in sexual activity without consent.
He had previously pleaded guilty at earlier hearings in the same court to one count of perverting the course of justice, three counts of making indecent photographs of a child and one count of possession of extreme pornography.
He has been remanded into custody and is due to be sentenced at Sheffield Crown Court on May 22.
Detective Chief Inspector Scott Harrison, from SYP’s Protecting Vulnerable People Governance team, said: "Although this is a milestone for our force in terms of protecting a vulnerable victim through the use of this new legislation, the circumstances surrounding the case are extremely distressing and concerning.
"I would personally like to commend the bravery and courage of the victim, who came forward and reported these disgusting acts. This would have been a considerably difficult thing for her to do.
"We live in a digital world where technology has become a key part of all our lives.
“The introduction of the Online Safety Act has provided us with more opportunities to ensure that those who use digital platforms feel safe when doing so, and those who choose to abuse these platforms are caught and brought before the courts."