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In a case eerily reminiscent of the tragic Megan Meier case, a 16-year-old from the UK attempted suicide by taking a large amount of painkillers after he found out he was the target or a malicious "prank" by an ex-friend.

Like Megan, he too was "tricked" into a fake online relationship with a pretend boy named Callum.  A 17-year-old boy created the fictitious profile on the social networking site Bebo then lured the victim into a relationship with the fake person over a period of months, exchanging explicit messages with each other.  Allegedly, this was not the first time the bully has done this sort of thing.

Prosecutor Suzanne Sorros said,  "This betrayal by somebody who he thought he knew, the damage of a friendship built up, the fact that he was told others had been party to this was so concerning to the victim that he didn't feel able to cope and go back to school to face his friends or teachers. Effectively he was told that all those people were colluding against him and laughing at him".

The bully said, "To think I have caused someone that pain to take their life, it's just really hard to think I have done something like that. Especially when I have been working with the victims of bullying. To think I am one of those people, I am ashamed of what I have done.  I can't explain what came over me. All I can say is that I don't recognise that person and I don't like who I was. I am wholeheartedly unconditionally sorry."

He plead guilty to harassment and was sentenced to 12-month "referral order".  His laptop was also confiscated and was ordered to compensate the victim.