Man Jailed for Grooming 14-Year-Old and Encouraging Her to Self-Harm

© Tom Blewitt & Zack Griffiths – Predator Awareness

An 18-year-old man who described himself as a paedophile and groomed a vulnerable teenage girl online has been sentenced to more than five years in prison.

Kai Edmundson, of Oswaldtwistle, Lancashire, was jailed for five years and three months at Preston Crown Court after pleading guilty to multiple offences, including engaging in sexual communication with a child, causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, encouraging or assisting serious self-harm, and possessing indecent images of children.

The court heard Edmundson used messaging apps Telegram, Discord, and WhatsApp to target a 14-year-old girl from Derbyshire over a four-month period beginning in September 2024. Although the pair never met in person, Edmundson manipulated the girl online, encouraging her to self-harm and exacerbating her eating disorder.

During their communications, Edmundson openly referred to himself as a paedophile. He sent the girl up to five indecent images of children and shared a link to a website containing further illegal content.

Contact between Edmundson and the girl ceased on 31 January, and the matter was reported to Derbyshire Police. Officers recovered screenshots of conversations between the victim and a Discord profile operated by Edmundson. He was arrested on 1 April, and a search of his phone revealed further indecent images of children.

In addition to his prison sentence, Edmundson was made the subject of an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order and ordered to sign the Sex Offenders’ Register for life.

Speaking after the sentencing, Detective Sergeant Nicholas Barker said Edmundson was “someone who presents a serious risk to children.” He also commended the victim, saying, “for the immense bravery she has shown throughout this process.”

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