Boy's messages drove girl to self-harm, court told

A teenage boy drove a vulnerable girl to self-harm through threatening and sinister online messages, a court has heard.

The 17-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, pleaded guilty at Sheffield Crown Court on Tuesday to encouraging or assisting self-harm and causing a child over 13 to engage in sexual activity without consent.

He had previously pleaded guilty to five counts of making indecent photographs of a child, two counts of possessing extreme pornography and one count of perverting the course of justice.

The teenager was remanded into custody ahead of his sentencing hearing in May.

The victim, a teenage girl from outside the South Yorkshire area, was receiving support and safeguarding, a police spokesperson said.

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South Yorkshire Police said this was the force's first charge and conviction for encouraging or assisting self-harm, and the first in the country involving a juvenile offender.

Det Ch Insp Scott Harrison, from South Yorkshire Police's protecting vulnerable people governance team, said the introduction of the Online Safety Act had provided police with more opportunities to bring offenders of this type before the courts.

"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," he said.

"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."

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