A teenager who encouraged a young victim to self-harm and produce sexually-explicit images of herself as part of a sustained campaign of online abuse has been jailed today at Sheffield Crown Court. 

Elijah Palmer, now 18, previously pleaded guilty to several counts of making and possessing indecent images, as well as perverting the course of justice, causing a person to engage in sexual activity without consent and encouraging serious self-harm. Today he was sentenced to 4 years and 9 months, with a further 4 years on extended license, for his crimes. 

Palmer was revealed to linked to the ‘764’ group – a sextortion and sadomasochistic online network whose members deliberately target vulnerable victims to extort them for ‘content’ to share with other members of the network. He targeted his victim on the online gaming platform Discord – subjecting her to an escalating campaign of intimidation, exploitation and coercion. 

Prosecutors were able to charge Palmer for the harm caused under new provisions of the Online Safety Act which criminalise those who encourage others to self-harm online.

Senior Crown Prosecutor for CPS Yorkshire & Humberside Caroline Deacon said: “This was a deeply disturbing case involving the calculated and deliberate targeting of a vulnerable young victim. Palmer blackmailed and threatened his victim, demanding increasingly degrading acts to serve himself and build his reputation amongst other members of the 764 group. 

"The Online Safety Act introduced new offences which allow us to prosecute those who encourage others to self-harm online.

“This case demonstrates exactly why that legislation was necessary, and that the CPS will not hesitate to use these powers where the evidence supports it.

"Working closely with South Yorkshire Police, we built a compelling case based on the victim's account and digital evidence recovered from Palmer's devices, resulting in him subsequently pleading guilty. We also applied for bad character evidence of a similar pattern of offending against another victim in the United States to demonstrate a similar pattern of offending to the court. 

"I hope this result gives some measure of justice to the victim in this case, who showed immense courage in coming forward. I hope her bravery can inspire other victims to come forward in the knowledge the criminal justice system will take them seriously.” 

Building the case 

Palmer first contacted his victim through the online gaming platform Roblox before moving their chat to Discord. Beginning with seemingly minor requests, he became increasingly demanding over time – eventually requesting that she send him nude images as well as evidence of her self-harming and carrying out various acts of degradation. 

Palmer used various methods of blackmail to control his victim. He made threats to her and her family, and even began manufacturing a fake bomb threat which he claimed he would send to a local school from an email address in her name if she did not do as he asked. 

When the victim reported Palmer to South Yorkshire Police, its investigation uncovered his links with the ‘764’ group. Members of the group – predominantly teenage boys and young men - seek out vulnerable victims in online spaces where children are discussing issues such as depression, eating disorders or self-harm. 

Their modus operandi is to initially approach victims as a friend, building trust in order to exploit and control them. Members manipulate victims into sharing explicit ‘content’ – including of self-harm or sexual acts - which they share amongst the group to gain notoriety.  

Members often use several aliases and accounts to hide their illicit activity. In this case, Elijah Palmer operated under various aliases and held numerous social media accounts across different platforms in an attempt to conceal his identity. He would also tell his victim that he was sharing the content he exploited from her with other members of the 764 group, to further manipulate and intimidate her.  

Palmer was first arrested by South Yorkshire Police on 30 June 2025. He was bailed on the condition he not contact the victim, whilst police conducted enquiries on his devices. Palmer was later charged with perverting the course of justice after he breached his bail conditions to contact the victim in an attempt to get her to retract her statement to police. 

In police interview, Palmer initially denied all knowledge of the offending. He claimed he had previously joined the 764 network ‘because of the thrill’, but had since the left the group. Police and prosecutors worked closely to build a body of evidence, resulting in Palmer subsequently pleading guilty to his crimes.

Detective Chief Inspector Scott Harrison added: 

"Technology can be an extremely useful tool, but unfortunately we know that a small number of people look to abuse online platforms.

"The Introduction of the Online Safety Act in 2023 is allowing us to investigate and prosecute those who choose to cause harm using these online platforms.

"Offenders may think they can hide behind usernames on these online platforms, but this is far from the truth, we will find them. 

"Victims of these crimes are never to blame, and I want to reassurance anyone who may think they have been a victim that you will be listened to and supported."