Nichola Goldsworthy, 31, admitted sharing x-rated footage of a man with a friend in order to humiliate him and cause him distress
A mum shared an explicit sex video of a man with a friend in order to humiliate him and cause him distress, a court heard. Nichola Goldsworthy admitted to police that she shared the X-rated footage “as a weapon”.
Bodmin Magistrates’ Court was told the 31-year-old sent the intimate clip to a pal in what was described as a moment of total “anger and spite.”
Goldsworthy, from Truro in Cornwall, admitted sharing a film of a person in an intimate state intending to cause alarm, distress or humiliation.
The court heard how the victim was left feeling significant amount of emotional harm and a severe loss of dignity.
Goldsworthy, who does not have any previous convictions, will be sentenced in August this year.
Posting explicit videos of others without their consent, often referred to as ‘revenge porn’, is illegal in the UK.
The Criminal Justice and Courts Act 2015 states that “a person guilty of an offence under this section is liable on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 2 years or a fine (or both), and on summary conviction, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months or a fine (or both).”
The Revenge Porn Hotline, an organisation which aims to help victims and educate the UK about the issue, say: “It is an offence in the UK to share, or threaten to share, an intimate image without consent. “
“In some cases, the content is shared in an act of revenge to embarrass, humiliate or cause distress to a person after the breakdown of a relationship, but it’s not always about revenge.”
Revenge Porn laws were introduced in 2015 after years of campaigning, and within one year had resulted in over 200 convictions, according to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS)
At the time, a spokesperson for the CPS said: “Today a rape, domestic abuse, sexual offence or child abuse case is more likely to be prosecuted and convicted than ever before.”
If you have been affected by intimate image abuse, support is available.
The Revenge Porn Helpline provides advice, guidance, and practical support to victims of intimate image abuse aged 18 and over who live in the UK.
Phone: 0345 6000 459
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