Suspended sentence for jilted barman convicted of revenge porn (27 July 2015)

A 29-year-old barman has been convicted of revenge porn after he showed naked pictures of his former girlfriend to his new girlfriend, who finished their relationship as a result.

The Daily Mail reports that Alec Brewer took revenge on his childhood sweetheart after she jilted him.

Under revenge porn laws he could have been given a two-year jail sentence, but Brewer – of South Avenue in Scalby, Scarborough – pleaded guilty to harassment and the new offence of disclosing a private sexual photo or film.

At Scarborough Magistrates Court, he was handed a 13-week jail sentence – suspended for 12 months – and was ordered to carry out 120 hours of unpaid work, pay an £80 surcharge, an £180 court charge and £85 costs.

Brewer also given an indefinite restraining order, banning him from approaching his ex-girlfriend, her workplace or home.

Magistrates told Brewer that his actions constituted an “unforgivable breach of trust”.

The court heard that Brewer had secretly photographed 31-year-old nursery assistant Keeley Richards-Shaw while she was getting undressed and sitting naked using hair straighteners.

When she ended their relationship, Brewer pestered the mother-of-one at home – and she was horrified to hear he had sent the naked images of her by text to his new partner and had more images on his computer.

After he pestered her at home, the police were called and Brewer was taken away in a police car.

He texted Ms Richards-Shaw and thanked her for “the lift home”, the court heard.

The court also heard he had rung his former girlfriend’s doorbell at night and she had told him to “go home” from a window. He had pleaded to be let in, and after five minutes his new girlfriend appeared behind him and the couple rowed. Brewer told his new girlfriend that he wanted to be with his ex and not her – and as a result she had “stormed off”.

Ms Richards-Shaw had felt sorry for Brewer’s new girlfriend and had invited her into her home. The two had talked and then Ms Richards-Shaw was shown the images Brewer had sent to his new girlfriend by text.

Ms Richards-Shaw told the court:

“When I split up with Alec, he made things quite difficult for me as he would not accept the break up. He became obsessed with me and was constantly texting me and calling me and turning up wherever I was. I felt suffocated.

“When he got a job in my local pub, I was really upset as I have been going there for some time and would regularly meet with my friends there. At first, I thought I would not go, but then thought I would not let him rule my life.

“When I saw the pictures of myself that Alec had sent to his girlfriend I was horrified,” she added. I felt sick that he would take photos of me like that without my knowledge – and even worse that he would share them with someone else.

“I feared he would put them on the Internet for everyone to see, including my family. I was humiliated and felt like I had been abused. I was really upset that someone who claimed to love me to bits would even contemplate doing something so nasty and humiliating to me. Pictures of me naked are personal to me and I would never allow them to be taken.”

Brewer declined to comment after the hearing.

Duncan Lewis Criminal Solicitors

Duncan Lewis criminal solicitors are available 24/7 365 days a year to advise at any stage of a criminal charge involving sexual offences such as revenge porn, harassment, sexual assault, rape – and making, distributing or download indecent images.

There are Duncan Lewis offices nationwide – and our criminal defence solicitors can usually reach a police station to advise on revenge porn or sexual offences within 45 minutes.

For expert legal advice on criminal law, call Duncan Lewis criminal solicitors on 020 7923 4020.

For 24/7 help at a police station, call the Duncan Lewis Emergency Hotline on 020 7275 2036.