MAN JAILED FOR POSTING TOPLESS PICTURE OF WOMAN ONLINE
A MAN who posted a topless image of a woman on a social media site during a campaign of harassment was jailed for 14 months.After Stephen Landers uploaded the image, which did not reveal her face, a friend rang to inform her of the posting.
Lewis Kerr, prosecuting, told Durham Crown Court : “It’s not clear how long it remained on Facebook, but it was there to be seen by other people.” Mr Kerr said Landers later contacted the woman threatening “things would only get worse”.
Following further “unpleasant” texts and calls he was arrested, but, on bail, he sent a threatening message urging her to withdraw her police statement.
Landers, 20, of Basingstoke Road, Peterlee, admitted harassment and witness intimidation, and was convicted after a trial before magistrates, of disclosing a private photograph.
The case was sent for sentence to the crown court.
Martin Scarborough, mitigating, said since the incidents Landers has, “moved on”, and recently began a good job, which was at risk if he had to serve his first, “real sentence of custody”.
Jailing him, Judge Simon Hickey said Landers had caused his victim, “a great deal of stress”, compounded by putting her through the “embarrassing” ordeal of having to give evidence at trial.
He was also made subject of a restraining order preventing him trying to contact or approach the woman, “until further order”.
