Teenager who posted intimate images of young girl with the message '˜Let's humiliate her' faces jail

Brandon Hesketh, 19, of Dawnay Road, Greenlands, Preston, uploaded five intimate images to Facebook alongside a message saying “Let’s humiliate her” after he was sent the images.

The schoolgirl cannot be identified for legal reasons.

He admitted charges of disclosing a private sexual photograph or film without the consent of the girl, possessing prohibited images of a child on June 12, possessing indecent images of the girl with a view to them being distributed and making indecent images of a child.

The court heard he had persuaded the youngster to send them to him.

Prosecuting, Kerry Grieve said: “The victim in this matter is a young girl. The defendant is charged with a variety of offences.

“The defendant uploaded five photos onto the victim’s own Facebook page, one featured her face and the rest were intimate pictures of her.

“The girl’s mother was alerted by a family friend.

“She contacted her daughter and the pictures were removed.”

The court heard there had been an ongoing effect on the girl, and that her home, school and social life had been affected because people had seen the images and the embarrassment it had caused.

Recent laws criminalise the sharing of private, sexual photographs or films.

Sexual material covers anything that a reasonable person would consider to be sexual, such as a picture of someone who is engaged in certain behaviour or posing in a provocative way

The Ministry of Justice launched a campaign called Be Aware B4 You Share as the legislation came into force in April 2015, in the Criminal Justice and Courts Bill.

District Judge Jane Goodwin committed the case to Preston Crown Court where he is due to appear on August 23 for sentencing.

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