A public servant increasingly desperate to be with his ex-partner again resorted to sending intimate images of her to another man as part of a "cruel emotional manipulation" after she kept telling him it was over, a court has heard.
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The ACT Magistrates Court on Monday heard that in November 2018, the offender sent eight messages to his ex-partner, who had ended the relationship, in which he threatened to distribute intimate images of her.
He also sent four messages containing private and sexual material involving the victim to another man who had been in a relationship with her.
The statement of facts tendered to the court state that another message read: "If you want the link to our porn, just ask [the victim] for it".
"[The victim] wanted to put it on the internet. There's plenty more of these. If you want them, ask [the victim] for permission," the text read.
The victim had previously begged the offender to delete the videos after he threatened to distribute them to the other man.
After the victim ended the relationship, she visited him at his premises fearing he may hurt himself.
She reiterated that it was over.
Within 10 minutes of leaving, she had five missed calls and eight text messages, including "everyone asked for these" and "consider it sent...to literally everyone you know".
The offender, 30, pleaded guilty to using a carriage service to harass or cause offence and threatening to capture or distribute intimate image of another person.
The court heard the victim was left feeling ashamed and humiliated.
The offending also put pressure on her co-parenting relationship and, in turn, her relationship with her son.
She also had anxiety and difficulty in sleeping for months afterwards.
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Magistrate Louise Taylor described the offences as repugnant and that they "have no place in a decent society".
She said people should be able to have intimate relationships without "fear of degradation and humiliation".
"That trust ought be respected and not be exploited as part of a cruel emotional manipulation as I'm satisfied was the case here," she said.
Ms Taylor said the number of contacts - including 18 missed calls - reflected his "increasing desperation" when the victim kept telling him the relationship was over.
She said the threat to send was designed to keep the victim "engaged with him for fear of his behaviour".
The court heard the offender had more similar images of the victim.
For each offence, Ms Taylor sentenced the offender to three months' jail fully suspended upon him entering good behaviour orders for 12 months, which involved $500 security money to the court.
Ms Taylor said the offender's participation in the criminal justice process had created enough deterrence for him as he now understood the gravity of his crimes and he regrets them.
She said that while "the defendant must be punished for his behaviour", actual jail time was not in his or the community's interests.
She said rehabilitation was better for community safety and cited the offender's other personal circumstances in her sentencing, including his positive character references and low level of general re-offending.
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