A 30-year-old has been sentenced to a three-month suspended jail term for his crimes against his former partner. Photo: Albert McKnight.
A public servant with “strong family values” tried to punish his ex for breaking up with him by sending private photos of her to another man.
The 30-year-old was handed a three-month suspended sentence in the ACT Magistrates Court on Monday (20 December).
“The offences are repugnant and have no place in a decent society,” Magistrate Louise Taylor said.
She said the trust that developed from a relationship should be respected and not exploited as part of a cruel manipulation.
In 2018, the man texted the woman he had been in a relationship with and threatened to distribute intimate images of her.
He followed through on that threat by sending four images of her in a vulnerable state to another of her former partners.
Magistrate Taylor said this was deliberate offending, intended to create fear and humiliation in his ex, as well as to punish her. The woman had told him their relationship was over.
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A statement from the woman revealed how his actions made her feel ashamed and humiliated, and she had difficulty sleeping for months.
Magistrate Taylor said character references from the man’s sister said he had “strong family values” and was hard-working, while a colleague said these crimes were out of character.
He told the author of a pre-sentence report he had consumed about 22 drinks leading up to his offending, and the author found he had expressed regret.
The man pleaded guilty to charges of threatening to capture or distribute an intimate image of another person, as well as using a carriage service to menace, harass or cause offence.
In addition to his suspended sentence, he was also given a 12-month good behaviour order and a $500 recognisance release order.
He is unable to be named to prevent identifying his victim.
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