Blackmailer Lewis Saxby Jailed for Five-and-a-Half Years
Lewis Saxby, 32, has been locked up after a shocking string of blackmail and fraud offences targeting women. The Mansfield man threatened to expose explicit images unless his victims paid up or did as he demanded.
£90,000 Scammed in Fake Legal Case
Between 2016 and 2020, Saxby conned one victim out of nearly £90,000. He tricked her into funding a bogus legal battle against his former employer. Saxby warned that if she stopped paying the “legal costs,” bailiffs would swoop on her home because she was supposedly a guarantor in the case.
When she tried to stop payments, he threatened to send sexual videos of her to friends and family.
Multiple Victims and Threats
- Police found three more victims during their investigation.
- One came to light after detectives spotted a huge payment into Saxby’s bank account.
- Another was identified via damning images found on his phone.
- Between July 2019 and January 2020, Saxby blackmailed one woman by threatening to publish explicit photos.
- A third victim was forced to pay off a fake £400 debt to stop images being sent to her partner.
- He also tried, but failed, to coerce another woman into sending sexual images.
Damning Attempts to Cover His Tracks
During his first police interview, Saxby refused to answer questions. But digital searches on his devices revealed chilling queries:
- ‘Maximum sentence for taking a video of a sexual act’
- ‘How to blackmail legally’
- ‘How much information the police can find on your phone’
Despite knowing the odds were stacked against him, Saxby initially pleaded not guilty in January 2021. He only admitted guilt on the first day of his trial in November, pleading guilty to three counts of blackmail, one of fraud, and one of controlling and coercive behaviour.
Justice Delivered at Nottingham Crown Court
Today, the convicted conman was sentenced to five-and-a-half years behind bars. He also received restraining orders banning any contact with his victims. Authorities are still working to recover the stolen money.
“Saxby has finally been exposed for what he truly is – a devious and dishonest conman exploiting innocent women in horrific ways,” said Detective Constable Mary Jones of Nottinghamshire Police. “The damage he’s done has been devastating, but thanks to the bravery of his victims and a relentless police investigation, he’s been stopped.”
