Woman Jailed for Sextortion Plot Against Ex
Romany Hamilton, 34, from Yeovil, Somerset, has been sentenced to 12 months in jail for trying to blackmail her ex-boyfriend out of £10,000. She threatened to post explicit videos of him online if he didn’t pay up.
From Pleas for Help to Threats
The court heard Hamilton first contacted her former partner in October 2020, claiming financial hardship and asking for money. The victim gave her £200 to help. But weeks later, Hamilton demanded a whopping £10,000.
When he refused, she threatened to release intimate images and videos of him. The victim, terrified and feeling “sick with worry,” reported the ordeal to police.
Judge Slams ‘Very Cruel’ Blackmailer
At Bournemouth Crown Court, Judge Susan Evans KC condemned Hamilton’s actions as “very cruel,” highlighting the severe distress caused to the victim. Hamilton pleaded guilty to blackmail but denied involvement at first, claiming her Facebook had been hacked.
She was handed a 12-month sentence, with the judge ordering she serve six months before being released on licence.
Warning on Rising Sextortion Threats
The court emphasised the danger of sextortion – a nasty form of online blackmail where victims are threatened with sharing sexual images to coerce money or favours. The National Crime Agency has recently raised alarms about an increase in sextortion cases, often targeting vulnerable adults and children.
This grim case underlines how online abuse can wreck lives and highlights the need for vigilance and swift justice.
