Latest news with #TylerWebb
Metro
5 days ago
- Metro
Man who urged vulnerable woman to kill herself so he could watch is jailed
A man who urged a vulnerable woman to self-harm and end her own life for his own warped sexual thrills has been jailed for nine years. Tyler Webb, 23, repeatedly told his victim to kill herself during weeks of what she called 'calculated psychological violence' because he wanted to watch her die on a video call. He became 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 pleaded guilty in May to that charge and a separate charge of encouraging suicide between June 22 and July 11 last year. Judge Timothy Spencer KC imposed a hybrid order, meaning he will begin his sentence in hospital until he is deemed fit for prison. He told Webb: 'Your persuasion extended over a substantial period of time. The two of you were not in any sort of suicide pact – it was always you hang yourself for my pleasure.' Webb, with long black hair and wearing a blue t-shirt, sat in the dock with his head bowed down and hands clasped over his ears before hiding underneath his chair, where he remained for most of the hearing. The victim, who cannot be named, contacted police in July 2024 because she feared Webb would encourage someone else to harm themselves after he asked her to 'sacrifice' herself. She said Webb put her through a period of 'calculated psychological violence' because he wanted to watch her kill herself. She met Webb on a Reddit forum where users shared mental health support. They then began to video call on the messaging app Telegram and their conversations turned 'dark in nature'. Prosecutor Louise Oakley told the Leicester Crown Court when Webb encouraged her to harm herself, 'in [the victim's] words, he loved it. Tyler Webb told her it turned him on. 'He told her he wanted her to do it during a video call so he could watch. He would berate her and say she had nothing to live for and she should die.' Webb once watched the woman make an attempt on her life and when it failed, told her to try again, the court heard. Ms Oakley told the court Webb's offending was pre-meditated, persistent and extensive: 'He pressurised her and was at times unpleasant. 'Importantly, it appears he was sexually motivated and genuinely wanted to see her die. He knew her vulnerabilities, her previous traumas and knew she had previously attempted suicide.' The prosecutor also said he refused to turn his own camera on during the video calls, suggesting he knew that 'what he was doing was wrong and he was in effect looking out for himself, not her'. In a victim impact statement read to the court by the prosecutor, the woman wrote: 'I don't want to call this encouraging serious self-harm or 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 try to kill me with his hands but with his words. 'He had no turmoil while torturing me. He told me that my only value was in dying for his entertainment. 'I'm alive, but the life I have left is altered forever. My life is ruined – my mind and body have been severely damaged.' Defence barrister Joey Kwong said Webb was struggling with his own mental health and 'wrongly he adopted such warped behaviour and distorted thinking' from content he saw online. The court heard Web's several diagnoses – including autistic spectrum disorder (ASD), obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), and anxiety and depressive disorders – had a 'significant impact on his life'. Dr Ajith Gurusinghe, a clinician who has been treating Webb in hospital because he is 'unable to cope in the prison regime', said the defendant had shown 'some remorse but not completely'. Webb's Reddit profile was identified and a review of the account revealed several female anime or gaming characters in various erotic poses with fatal injuries. Detective Constable Lauren Hampton, of Leicester Police, said: 'This case is not only truly shocking but also deeply concerning. 'Webb preyed upon a vulnerable woman at a time when she was reaching out to people in an online forum for help and support. '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. More Trending 'Thankfully, this did not happen, and the victim was able to report what had happened.' Alex Johnson, a specialist crown prosecutor in the Special Crime Division of the CPS, said: 'Tyler Webb contacted a vulnerable woman online and encouraged her to commit serious self-harm and to end her life by hanging. 'He knew she was vulnerable and would act on his requests but went ahead with his persistent requests knowing she may well die. 'Fortunately, his repeated and insistent suggestions did not result in a death.' Samaritans are here to listen, day or night, 365 days a year. You can call them for free on 116 123, email jo@ or visit for more information. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: 'Mum stabs her three children killing one and sets home on fire' MORE: Quick-thinking man buys two 99s from an ice cream van stuck in traffic MORE: Brothers 'used high level of violence' to assault police at Manchester Airport, court hears
News.com.au
5 days ago
- News.com.au
Man, 23, who told woman to kill herself jailed in landmark case
WARNING: Contains discussion of suicide A man who urged a vulnerable woman to attempt suicide in video calls for his own sexual pleasure has been jailed in a landmark case. Tyler Webb met his victim, who was then aged 21, in an online forum dedicated to mental health and began grooming her. The 23-year-old persuaded the woman to seriously self-harm and convinced her to send a photograph of her injuries. Webb also tried to convince his victim to take her own life in a video call but the suicide attempt failed. He has now been jailed for nine years and four months but was handed a hybrid order, meaning he will begin his sentence in hospital until he is deemed fit for prison, The Sun reports. Webb is the first person in the UK to be charged with encouraging serious self-harm online under a new law introduced at the end of January last year under Section 184 of Britain's Online Safety Act 2023. He pleaded guilty to that charge and a separate charge of encouraging suicide between June 22 and July 11 last year. Judge Timothy Spencer KC agreed that 'very largely' Webb was motivated by sexual gratification. Leicester Crown Court heard after the pair first met on the forum, they began using the Telegram app for 'dark' conversations. Over a six-week period, Webb repeatedly told her she had nothing to live for and gave her methods to take her own life. In one 44-minute phone call, he persistently tried to get the woman to kill herself. When she made clear she was not going to do so, Webb then threatened to move on to another woman instead. Prosecutor Louise Oakley said that when Webb encouraged her to harm herself, 'in (the victim's) words, he loved it. Tyler Webb told her it turned him on'. She continued: 'He told her he wanted her to do it during a video call so he could watch. 'He would berate her and say she had nothing to live for and she should die.' After the woman's failed suicide attempt, she contacted police as she feared Webb would persuade someone else to harm themself. Webb was arrested a week later at his home in Loughborough in July 2024. Police found his user profile on Reddit – called u/EmpathicNarcissist – that showed disturbing images of anime characters with fatal injuries. In a victim impact statement, the woman said: 'I don't want to call this encouraging serious self-harm or 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 try to kill me with his hands but with his words. 'He had no turmoil while torturing me. He told me that my only value was in dying for his entertainment. 'I'm alive, but the life I have left is altered forever. My life is ruined – my mind and body have been severely damaged.' The court heard Webb has been diagnosed with mental health disorders including autistic spectrum disorder (ASD), obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), and anxiety and depressive disorders. His defence barrister Joey Kwong said Webb was in a 'dark time' with his mental health and 'wrongly he adopted such warped behaviour and distorted thinking' from material he saw online. Detective Constable Lauren Hampton, of Leicestershire Police, said: 'This case is not only truly shocking but also deeply concerning. 'Webb preyed upon a vulnerable woman at a time when she was reaching out to people in an online forum for help and support. '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.' Following his sentencing on July 4, police released shocking video footage of the moment Webb was arrested. In it, he can be seen looking confused as cops slapped cuffs on him, citing he was under arrest for suspicion of encouraging suicide. Webb, who is dressed in a blue robe, responds by telling officers he has 'kittens upstairs that I need to look after'. His first words have since sparked a huge response on social media as many call for an update on the welfare of the baby cats.
Daily Mail
6 days ago
- Daily Mail
Man who urged vulnerable woman to kill herself while he watched online for his own sexual thrills is sentenced to nine years
A man who persistently urged a vulnerable woman to kill herself and self-harm during video calls for his own sexual pleasure has been handed a prison sentence of nine years. Tyler Webb, 23, repeatedly told his victim to end her life during weeks of what she called 'calculated psychological violence' because he wanted to watch her die on a video call. The defendant, of King Crescent South in Loughborough, was the first person in the country to be charged with encouraging serious self-harm online under Section 184 of the Online Safety Act 2023, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said. He pleaded guilty in May to that charge and a separate charge of encouraging suicide between June 22 and July 11 last year. Handing Webb the hybrid order, meaning he will begin his sentence in hospital until he is deemed fit for prison, at Leicester Crown Court on Friday, Judge Timothy Spencer KC agreed that 'very largely' Webb was motivated by sexual gratification. He said: 'Your persuasion extended over a substantial period of time. The two of you were not in any sort of suicide pact - it was always you hang yourself for my pleasure.' Webb, with long black hair and wearing a blue t-shirt, sat in the dock with his head bowed down and hands clasped over his ears before hiding underneath his chair, where he remained for most of the hearing. He did not respond when asked to confirm his name. Prosecutor Louise Oakley said the woman, who cannot be named, met Webb on a Reddit forum where people shared mental health support, before the pair started video calling on the Telegram app where they would have conversations which were 'dark in nature'. Ms Oakley told the court that when Webb encouraged her to harm herself, 'in (the victim's) words, he loved it. Tyler Webb told her it turned him on'. Telling the court about Webb urging the woman to kill herself, Ms Oakley said: 'He told her he wanted her to do it during a video call so he could watch. He would berate her and say she had nothing to live for and she should die.' The court heard on one occasion Webb watched the woman attempt suicide by hanging, and when it failed he told her to try again. The woman contacted the police on July 3 last year because she feared Webb would encourage someone else to harm themselves after he asked her to 'sacrifice' herself, and he was arrested a week later. In a victim impact statement read aloud to the court by Ms Oakley, the woman wrote: 'I don't want to call this encouraging serious self-harm or 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 try to kill me with his hands but with his words. 'He had no turmoil while torturing me. He told me that my only value was in dying for his entertainment. 'I'm alive, but the life I have left is altered forever. My life is ruined - my mind and body have been severely damaged.' Ms Oakley told the court: '(Webb's) user profile on Reddit was identified as u/EmpathicNarcissist and a review of the account revealed numerous anime or gaming characters in various erotic poses with fatal injuries. 'All of the characters were female.' The prosecutor said the fact Webb refused to turn on his own camera during his video calls with the woman suggests he had insight that 'what he was doing was wrong and he was in effect looking out for himself, not her'. Ms Oakley told the court: 'We submit his offending involved pre-meditation, persistence and extensive encouragement and advice. He pressurised her and was at times unpleasant. 'Importantly, it appears he was sexually motivated and genuinely wanted to see her die. He knew her vulnerabilities, her previous traumas and knew she had previously attempted suicide.' Defence barrister Joey Kwong said Webb was in a 'dark time' with his mental health and 'wrongly he adopted such warped behaviour and distorted thinking' from material he saw online. The court heard that the defendant has been diagnosed with mental health disorders including autistic spectrum disorder (ASD), obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), and anxiety and depressive disorders, which have a 'significant impact on his life'. Dr Ajith Gurusinghe, a treating clinician for Webb who has been in hospital because he is 'unable to cope in the prison regime', told the court the defendant has 'shown some remorse but not completely'. Webb was also made subject of a restraining order during the hearing. Detective Constable Lauren Hampton, of Leicestershire Police, said: 'This case is not only truly shocking but also deeply concerning. 'Webb preyed upon a vulnerable woman at a time when she was reaching out to people in an online forum for help and support. '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.' Alex Johnson, a specialist crown prosecutor in the Special Crime Division of the Crown Prosecution Service, said: 'Tyler Webb contacted a vulnerable woman online and encouraged her to commit serious self-harm and to end her life by hanging. 'He knew she was vulnerable and would act on his requests but went ahead with his persistent requests knowing she may well die.
The Independent
6 days ago
- The Independent
Man who urged vulnerable woman to kill herself and self-harm given hybrid order
A man who persistently urged a vulnerable woman to kill herself and self-harm during video calls for his own sexual pleasure has been handed a prison sentence of nine years and four months. Tyler Webb, 23, repeatedly told his victim to end her life during weeks of what she called 'calculated psychological violence' because he wanted to watch her die on a video call. The defendant, of King Crescent South in Loughborough, was the first person in the country to be charged with encouraging serious self-harm online under Section 184 of the Online Safety Act 2023, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said. He pleaded guilty in May to that charge and a separate charge of encouraging suicide between June 22 and July 11 last year. Handing Webb the hybrid order, meaning he will begin his sentence in hospital until he is deemed fit for prison, at Leicester Crown Court on Friday, Judge Timothy Spencer KC agreed that 'very largely' Webb was motivated by sexual gratification. He said: 'Your persuasion extended over a substantial period of time. The two of you were not in any sort of suicide pact – it was always you hang yourself for my pleasure.' Webb, with long black hair and wearing a blue t-shirt, sat in the dock with his head bowed down and hands clasped over his ears before hiding underneath his chair, where he remained for most of the hearing. He did not respond when asked to confirm his name. Prosecutor Louise Oakley said the woman, who cannot be named, met Webb on a Reddit forum where people shared mental health support, before the pair started video calling on the Telegram app where they would have conversations which were 'dark in nature'. Ms Oakley told the court that when Webb encouraged her to harm herself, 'in (the victim's) words, he loved it. Tyler Webb told her it turned him on'. Telling the court about Webb urging the woman to kill herself, Ms Oakley said: 'He told her he wanted her to do it during a video call so he could watch. He would berate her and say she had nothing to live for and she should die.' The court heard on one occasion Webb watched the woman attempt suicide by hanging, and when it failed he told her to try again. The woman contacted the police on July 3 last year because she feared Webb would encourage someone else to harm themselves after he asked her to 'sacrifice' herself, and he was arrested a week later. In a victim impact statement read aloud to the court by Ms Oakley, the woman wrote: 'I don't want to call this encouraging serious self-harm or 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 try to kill me with his hands but with his words. 'He had no turmoil while torturing me. He told me that my only value was in dying for his entertainment. 'I'm alive, but the life I have left is altered forever. My life is ruined – my mind and body have been severely damaged.' Ms Oakley told the court: '(Webb's) user profile on Reddit was identified as u/EmpathicNarcissist and a review of the account revealed numerous anime or gaming characters in various erotic poses with fatal injuries. All of the characters were female.' The prosecutor said the fact Webb refused to turn on his own camera during his video calls with the woman suggests he had insight that 'what he was doing was wrong and he was in effect looking out for himself, not her'. Ms Oakley told the court: 'We submit his offending involved pre-meditation, persistence and extensive encouragement and advice. He pressurised her and was at times unpleasant. 'Importantly, it appears he was sexually motivated and genuinely wanted to see her die. He knew her vulnerabilities, her previous traumas and knew she had previously attempted suicide.' Defence barrister Joey Kwong said Webb was in a 'dark time' with his mental health and 'wrongly he adopted such warped behaviour and distorted thinking' from material he saw online. The court heard that the defendant has been diagnosed with mental health disorders including autistic spectrum disorder (ASD), obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), and anxiety and depressive disorders, which have a 'significant impact on his life'. Dr Ajith Gurusinghe, a treating clinician for Webb who has been in hospital because he is 'unable to cope in the prison regime', told the court the defendant has 'shown some remorse but not completely'. Webb was also made subject of a restraining order during the hearing. Detective Constable Lauren Hampton, of Leicestershire Police, said: 'This case is not only truly shocking but also deeply concerning. 'Webb preyed upon a vulnerable woman at a time when she was reaching out to people in an online forum for help and support. '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.' Alex Johnson, a specialist crown prosecutor in the Special Crime Division of the Crown Prosecution Service, said: 'Tyler Webb contacted a vulnerable woman online and encouraged her to commit serious self-harm and to end her life by hanging. 'He knew she was vulnerable and would act on his requests but went ahead with his persistent requests knowing she may well die. 'Fortunately, his repeated and insistent suggestions did not result in a death.' – The Samaritans can be contacted anonymously on 116123 or email jo@
Scottish Sun
6 days ago
- Scottish Sun
Fiend who urged vulnerable woman to attempt suicide in video calls for his sexual pleasure is jailed in landmark case
BEHIND BARS Fiend who urged vulnerable woman to attempt suicide in video calls for his sexual pleasure is jailed in landmark case Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A FIEND who urged a vulnerable woman to attempt suicide in video calls for his sexual pleasure has been jailed in a landmark case. Tyler Webb met his victim, who was then aged 21, in an online forum dedicated to mental health and began grooming her. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up The 23-year-old persuaded the woman to seriously self-harm and convinced her to send a photograph of her injuries. Webb also tried to convince his victim to take her own life in a video call but the suicide attempt failed. He has now been jailed for nine years and four months but was handed a hybrid order, meaning he will begin his sentence in hospital until he is deemed fit for prison. Webb was the first person in the country to be charged with encouraging serious self-harm online under Section 184 of the Online Safety Act 2023. He pleaded guilty to that charge and a separate charge of encouraging suicide between June 22 and July 11 last year. Judge Timothy Spencer KC agreed that "very largely" Webb was motivated by sexual gratification. Leicester Crown Court heard after the pair first met on the forum, they began using the Telegram app for "dark" conversations. Over a six-week period, Webb repeatedly told her she had nothing to live for and gave her methods to take her own life. In one 44-minute phone call, he persistently tried to get the woman to kill herself. When she made clear she was not going to do so, Webb then threatened to move on to another woman instead. Prosecutor Louise Oakley said that when Webb encouraged her to harm herself, "in (the victim's) words, he loved it. Tyler Webb told her it turned him on". She continued: "He told her he wanted her to do it during a video call so he could watch. "He would berate her and say she had nothing to live for and she should die." After the woman's failed suicide attempt, she contacted police as she feared Webb would persuade someone else to harm themself. Webb was arrested a week later at his home in Loughborough in July 2024. Police found his user profile on Reddit - called u/EmpathicNarcissist - that showed disturbing images of anime characters with fatal injuries. In a victim impact statement, the woman said: "I don't want to call this encouraging serious self-harm or 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 try to kill me with his hands but with his words. "He had no turmoil while torturing me. He told me that my only value was in dying for his entertainment. "I'm alive, but the life I have left is altered forever. My life is ruined - my mind and body have been severely damaged." The court heard Webb has been diagnosed with mental health disorders including autistic spectrum disorder (ASD), obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), and anxiety and depressive disorders. His defence barrister Joey Kwong said Webb was in a "dark time" with his mental health and "wrongly he adopted such warped behaviour and distorted thinking" from material he saw online. You're Not Alone EVERY 90 minutes in the UK a life is lost to suicide It doesn't discriminate, touching the lives of people in every corner of society – from the homeless and unemployed to builders and doctors, reality stars and footballers. It's the biggest killer of people under the age of 35, more deadly than cancer and car crashes. And men are three times more likely to take their own life than women. Yet it's rarely spoken of, a taboo that threatens to continue its deadly rampage unless we all stop and take notice, now. That is why The Sun launched the You're Not Alone campaign. The aim is that by sharing practical advice, raising awareness and breaking down the barriers people face when talking about their mental health, we can all do our bit to help save lives. Let's all vow to ask for help when we need it, and listen out for others… You're Not Alone. If you, or anyone you know, needs help dealing with mental health problems, the following organisations provide support: CALM, 0800 585 858 Heads Together, HUMEN Mind, 0300 123 3393 Papyrus, 0800 068 41 41 Samaritans, 116 123 Detective Constable Lauren Hampton, of Leicestershire Police, said: "This case is not only truly shocking but also deeply concerning. "Webb preyed upon a vulnerable woman at a time when she was reaching out to people in an online forum for help and support. "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." If you are affected by any of the issues raised in this article, please call the Samaritans for free on 116123.
