Luke Harlow

In November 2015, Luke Harlow initiated online grooming of 15-year-old Kayleigh Haywood from Measham, Leicestershire, by contacting her on Facebook with a simple 'Hey, how are you?' message. The pair quickly exchanged mobile numbers and sent over 2,600 text messages in just two weeks, during which Harlow posed as her boyfriend. This deception led Kayleigh to agree to meet him, and on 13 November 2015, she was dropped off by her father outside Ibstock Community College, telling her parents she was staying with a friend, but instead proceeding to Harlow's flat in the nearby village of Ibstock.

At the flat, Harlow, along with his neighbour Stephen Beadman, kept Kayleigh prisoner from the evening of 14 November until the early hours of 15 November 2015. Harlow was directly involved in sexually touching Kayleigh and falsely imprisoning her during this period. His actions enabled Beadman to chase, rape, and murder Kayleigh in nearby woods after she attempted to escape naked from the waist down. Kayleigh's body was found on 18 November 2015 in a hedgerow near a stream, following a major search by Leicestershire Police involving more than 300 officers.

Harlow was convicted at Nottingham Crown Court of grooming Kayleigh and two other girls, as well as sexually touching and falsely imprisoning her. He received a 12-year custodial sentence for these child sex offences. The case, as reported by BBC News and Leicestershire Police, brought national attention to the risks of online grooming and sexual exploitation of children. Detective Superintendent Helen Schofield of Leicestershire Police highlighted the continued relevance of such crimes, stating that 'grooming and sexual exploitation remains on the agenda' through educational efforts like the film 'Kayleigh's Love Story,' which has garnered over 4.3 million views and prompted reports from potential victims.

Vikki Rundle-Brown, Kayleigh's former teacher at Ashby School, recalled the 'horrific ripple effect' of the tragedy and stressed the importance of online safety education, noting that resources like the police film have potentially saved lives by encouraging young people to think twice about online interactions.