Beauty queen harassed via fake Instagram profile using stolen photos and manipulated image, leading to emotional distress and ongoing police investigation

Summary

A beauty queen from Knutsford was harassed by online trolls who created a fake Instagram profile using stolen photos of her to promote a fake "sex line." The profile included a manipulated image making her appear topless and a phone number linked to a charity event she was hosting. The fake account also sent abusive messages to other beauty queens and Miss England organiser Angie Beasley. The victim, Tabitha Bennett, reported the harassment to police and to Instagram, but the platform refused to remove the account, stating it did not breach community guidelines. Cheshire Police confirmed an investigation into the online harassment but reported no arrests had been made. The incident has caused emotional distress to Tabitha, who is competing in the Miss England competition.