A woman from Swindon has been sentenced after admitting to sharing an intimate photograph of a man with the intent to cause him “maximum distress,” a court heard.
Natasha Bradshaw, 25, of Fortuna Road, Blunsdon, sent a photograph of her victim’s genitals to his girlfriend in July last year and mocked him when the image was later posted publicly on Facebook. Crown prosecutor Abbie Winters told the court that Bradshaw had intended to humiliate the man and cause him emotional distress.
Bradshaw admitted to police that she had shared the sexual photograph and had since deleted it from both her phone and Facebook. A forensic examination of her phone confirmed this. However, the damage was already done, with Bradshaw and her boyfriend joining others in mocking the victim on social media before the image was removed.
While Bradshaw had also been harassing the man through repeated phone calls, she was not charged with harassment. Prosecutor Winters stated that, although the photo was eventually taken down, it was “intended to cause maximum distress and humiliation” to the victim.
Appearing at Swindon Magistrates’ Court, Bradshaw pleaded guilty to disclosing a private sexual photograph with intent to cause distress. Defence solicitor Richard Williams noted that Bradshaw is the “sole carer of two young daughters” and asked District Judge Joanna Dickens to consider the pre-sentence report’s recommendations.
Judge Dickens emphasized the serious impact of sharing intimate images, calling it “incredibly embarrassing and shaming” and acknowledging that it would have been “mortifying” for the victim. She sentenced Bradshaw to a 12-month community order, requiring her to complete 30 days of rehabilitation with the probation service and The Nelson’s Trust.
The court reiterated the importance of protecting the anonymity of victims of sexual crimes, noting that it is a criminal offence to share any information that could lead to the identification of such victims.
