Crime Man Sentenced to 9 Years Imprisonment, Becomes First Person Charged with "Encouraging Self Harm" Online in the UK

Siver! said:
www.bbc.co.uk

Tyler Webb: Man who encouraged woman to kill herself sentenced

Police say Tyler Webb, 23, "repeatedly and persistently" instructed the woman to take her life.
www.bbc.co.uk www.bbc.co.uk

A man has been sentenced after he "repeatedly and persistently" encouraged a vulnerable woman he met online to kill herself.
Tyler Webb, 23, connected with his victim on social media before asking the woman, who cannot be named, to harm herself for his own "sexual gratification".
Police said the victim's bravery was "profound" in reporting the offence, which led to Webb being the first person in the country to be charged with encouraging serious self-harm online under section 184 of the Online Safety Act 2023.
Webb was given a hybrid order of nine years and four months, which will see him detained at a mental health facility and if deemed fit to leave, he will serve the remainder in prison.
Although Webb being charged was a legal first, the Crown Prosecution (CPS) said other cases brought since then had already concluded.
Webb, of King Crescent South in Loughborough, Leicestershire, admitted encouraging suicide and one count of encouraging or assisting someone to seriously self-harm at a hearing in May.
Alex Johnson, from the CPS, described the case as a "watershed prosecution" and said "as far as he is aware", this is the only case this offence has been used to prosecute someone targeting a vulnerable person via social media.

'Calculated psychological violence'​

At Leicester Crown Court on Friday, prosecutor Louise Oakley said Webb first met the victim on a social media forum - where mental health difficulties were being discussed - and, after their contact, started encouraging her to harm herself on the Telegram messaging app.
He then asked her to send him pictures of injuries, and the court heard he would use them for his own sexual pleasure.
Webb later encouraged her to kill herself and told her to carry out the attempt on a video call so he could watch.
During a 44-minute call on 2 July last year, Webb made persistent efforts to get her to end her own life and, when it become apparent she would not do so, he said he would block further contact with her.
She reported what had happened to police the next day and he was arrested at his home on 10 July.
In a victim impact statement read to the court by the prosecution, the woman said: "He tried to kill me, not with his hands, but with his words."
She added: "I do not want to call this encouraging serious self harm and suicide. I want to call this what it is - an attempted murder through psychological means.
"What Tyler did was not a mistake. It was calculated psychological violence.
"He didn't encourage self-harm in passing, he instructed me on what to do and how to do it."
The statement added Webb was "cruel by choice" and had "no turmoil while torturing me".
"There will never be another second on this earth where I don't have to live with the pain of what happened," she said.
The court was told Webb has had a "severe" autistic disorder since a young age, as well as borderline personality disorder, anxiety and depressive disorder.
Defence barrister Joey Kwong told the court that Webb has "struggled significantly" with his mental health all his life but is "finally" being treated in hospital after being transferred from prison.
The court also heard that Webb has no previous convictions and was of previous good character. He also received full credit for his guilty pleas.

'Irrefutable evidence'​

Leicestershire Police said the victim was able to collect a "significant amount" of evidence including audio recordings, screenshots and photos of her injuries.
Mr Johnson told the BBC the CPS obtained an audio recording in which Tyler Webb "repeatedly and persistently" encouraged the victim to kill herself.
He said: "I think that this sort of offending is particularly disturbing because of the way it targets people who should be safe within their own homes.
"I think the case and the conviction shows the police and prosecution won't hesitate to use any legal tool to stop those who are determined to cause harm in this sort of way."
Mr Johnson said the victim provided "irrefutable evidence" of the offences committed and praised her "courage" in coming forward to the police.
"If she had not done that, Tyler Webb would never have been identified, arrested or brought to justice for this offending," he added.
"He would have remained at liberty and he would have been free to target other vulnerable people through social media.
"Webb preyed upon a vulnerable woman at a time when she was reaching out to people in online forum for help and support," she added.
"He quickly gained her trust and then he began with his barrage of vile requests – all the time knowing that what he was telling her to do could result in her ending her own life.
"Thankfully, this did not happen, and the victim was able to report what had happened."
She described the case as one of the "most harrowing" she had seen in her career and praised the "courage and strength" of the victim.
Det Con Hampton added: "I want to thank her for coming forward and reporting to police the despicable behaviour of Webb.
"Her actions have undoubtedly safeguarded other vulnerable people from being targeted."

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Obviously this guy had serious mental health issues, but I guess a lot of the very worst online offenders will too.

Are we all completely in agreement here, or does someone have an off-the-wall free speech-style defence for a case like this?

I'm guessing not, but let's open up the floor.
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Good. Fuck this piece of shit.

I'm glad his victim had the strength to resist his manipulations and not only survived, but went to the police and stopped him from targeting other vulnerable people.
 
GearSolidMetal said:
It wasn't a one-off stupid comment or attempt to use reverse psychology to encourage the woman to get stronger to deal with her trauma, it was purposeful psychological manipulation to attempt her to kill herself.

For once, good call by Britain.
Actually making headlines for sending someone to prison for a good reason. Shocking.

Hopefully the US will adopt something like this federally and of course the counter-argument will be 'Free Speech' but let's be real here... There's exceptions to every right the vast majority of everyone agree upon.
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they just get him on harassment /stalking type stuff..
 
Natural Order said:
I once got double yellows on here because I posted, in direction to a poster comedically, a still frame from The Waterboy of when Bobby is looking at the note in his suggestion box from his watercart. He unfolds it and it reads, "Dear Waterboy, Eat shit and kill yourself. Signed, Everyone", placed by some of the shithead jocks on the team he's supporting.
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Yeah, I got Dubs for similar. To be fair, I've gotten Dubs for less than that. :p
 
GearSolidMetal said:
It wasn't a one-off stupid comment or attempt to use reverse psychology to encourage the woman to get stronger to deal with her trauma, it was purposeful psychological manipulation to attempt her to kill herself.

For once, good call by Britain.
Actually making headlines for sending someone to prison for a good reason. Shocking.

Hopefully the US will adopt something like this federally and of course the counter-argument will be 'Free Speech' but let's be real here... There's exceptions to every right the vast majority of everyone agree upon.
Click to expand...

Summed up perfectly by the victim herself,

"He tried to kill me, just with his words, not his hands".

There is no doubt that if he'd succeeded in getting her to kill herself, he would at least have attempted to do it to other vulnerable people as well>
 
Mr.Maelstrom said:
It's one thing to have a dark sense of humor or crack a cruel joke without thinking. But yeah, if there are multiple instances of prolonged badgering for your own petty/sexual amusement, that's fucking despicable.

9 years is probably (definitely) excessive, but fucking with someone that egregiously is definitely excessive too.

Play stupid games, win stupid prizes?
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Nine years is not that excessive when you consider that a significant portion of it won't even be served in jail. He will go to a secure mental hospital first for treatment. And they are considerably more comfortable than the average British prison.
 
nhbbear said:
Good. However, it’s Britain so soon, if you just think someone should kill themself you’ll go to prison
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Bro, if the UK government knew what was in my head, I'd be serving a Whole Life Sentence. In solitary. With 24/7 armed guards... 😈
 
What a sick fuck. Hopefully they can right his mind at a mental health hospital.

When I read nine years I don't necessarily think excessive for this crime but I can't help to think of all the other heinous crimes being committed such as gang rapes etc where the convicted end up with slaps on their wrists.
 
Belaya Smert said:
Maybe he was an organ donor enthusiast?
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I'm all for donating his organs to those that need them. Fuck this asshole. Good to see most agree, and it's not even about the law and if he is technically guilty of something. He is a sick scumbag that deserves a harsh punishment.
 
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