An 18-year-old football fan took his own life after being blackmailed by sextortion scammers operating from the Ivory Coast, an inquest has heard. Cai Davies, from Pontypridd, south Wales, died on June 3 last year after sending intimate pictures and videos to someone he believed was a woman with romantic feelings for him. Instead, he was targeted by a large-scale criminal operation that threatened to share the material with his friends and on YouTube unless he paid substantial sums.
Inquest Reveals Sextortion Timeline
During the inquest at Pontypridd Coroners' Court on Tuesday, coroner Rachel Knight heard that Cai had been in contact with a person using the pseudonym Melissa Calvert. DC Jack Cotton, a criminal investigator, stated that the account was likely part of a sextortion ring based in the Ivory Coast. The scammers fabricated a fake Facebook profile posing as a white woman from London of a similar age to Cai. The conversation quickly turned sexual, and Cai sent intimate photos, which were then used to extort him.
On the evening of May 29, the blackmailer threatened to leak videos unless Cai paid them. They warned they would distribute the video to his family and friends and upload it on YouTube, adding that it would devastate his life. Cai responded that he had no funds and was in hospital with his grandmother. The blackmailer later claimed they had posted the material, though there was no proof it was actually uploaded. Their final interaction was at 9:30am on May 30.
Background of Tragedy
Cai, described as a proud member of the Cardiff City football family, had faced significant challenges. His brother Ethan Davies told the inquest through a pre-written statement that Cai had struggled with the deaths of both parents. His mother took her own life when Cai was four, and his father died from sepsis in 2013. After his mother's death, Cai and his siblings were raised by their grandparents.
Ethan said Cai didn't speak about the loss of his parents, struggled with ADHD and behavioral issues, and turned to drugs. He began using cannabis and alcohol around age 12, and later escalated to ketamine and cocaine. He had previously attempted an overdose in 2024 but called an ambulance and was under CAMHS until turning 18, then transferred to adult mental health services.
Final Days and Discovery
Ethan noted that Cai seemed to be struggling more than usual before his death. After a disagreement at home, Cai was asked to leave on May 28. He returned on May 30 but was told he couldn't stay; however, he went to his attic room. Around 6pm that day, his family found him unresponsive. He was rushed to the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff with severe brain damage, then transferred to Royal Glamorgan Hospital, where he died on June 3.
The inquest also heard from Rachel Denner, a former school support worker, who received a Facebook message from Cai on May 29 asking if she'd received a message from Melissa Calvert. When she opened it the next day, it contained an intimate picture and video.
Coroner's Concerns and Call for Action
Coroner Rachel Knight recorded a conclusion of suicide, stating that personal stress and becoming a victim of the sextortion scam more than minimally contributed to his death. She expressed concern about insufficient public awareness regarding sextortion blackmail and said she would issue a Regulation 28 report to the UK and Welsh governments, questioning whether adequate education exists about such scams.
DC Cotton encouraged the public to remain vigilant about unsolicited messages on social media, especially when conversations quickly become sexual and requests for intimate photos are made. He noted that if the phone had been located in the UK, criminal proceedings could have been initiated, but due to the scammers' location in the Ivory Coast, no prosecution was possible.
Cai was honored by 19,000 Cardiff City fans who applauded on the 18th minute during the first home game of last season against Peterborough United. His medical cause of death was hypoxic brain injury.
