Belfast man sent sex video to schoolgirl's mother in act of 'incomprehensible wickedness'

Senior judges dismissed Jonathan Playfair’s bid to secure a reduced sentence after finding he intentionally caused so much harm and distress that the 13-year-old child was left feeling suicidal.

Lord Justice Treacy said: “Put simply, this man did his absolute utmost to wreak havoc in the life of this victim and her family and he fully deserves the dangerous classification ascribed to him.”

In May last year Playfair, 24, received an extended sentence of six years imprisonment and a further four years on licence after pleading guilty to blackmail, possessing indecent photographs and videos of a child, inciting a child into sexual activity and disclosing private sexual images and films.

He was also made subject to a Sexual Offenders Prevention Order (SOPO) for 10 years.

Playfair, formerly of Berwick Road in the city, targeted and groomed the three girls aged between 13 and 17 over a period from 2018 to 2020. He obtained a series of intimate photos in a campaign which included contact using fake social media profiles.

The court heard that a naked image of one victim was posted on a Facebook account linked to Playfair after he threatened her in a bid to get her to send him more explicit pictures.

He also arranged a meeting with a 13-year-old girl at a leisure centre where they had sex in one of the rooms. During a subsequent incident he covertly recorded her performing a sexual act on him. Amid demands for more nude images, he sent the video to the child’s mother, sister and a classmate.

Citing Playfair’s age and learning difficulties, defence lawyers claimed the prison term was excessive and the SOPO unnecessary.

But Lord Justice Treacy insisted that a significant period of imprisonment had been necessary for punishment and to deter others from committing similar crimes.

Rejecting all grounds of challenge, he highlighted the level of planning, targeting and grooming of three separate, vulnerable victims subjected to coercive and controlling behaviour.

Playfair also exposed the youngest girl to further risk by having unprotected sex and then blackmailing her, the court held.

“She told him that she could not continue to live like this and was contemplating suicide,” Lord Justice Treacy pointed out.

“His response was that he did not care. His subsequent actions were clearly intended to cause her maximum distress and humiliation.”

Playfair had exploited the youngest victim’s shame to carry out the offences in a “callous and calculating” way which exposed her to serious psychological and physical harm, according to the judge.

“In an act of incomprehensible wickedness, he disseminated the video to her mother, her sister and a school colleague, thus ensuring maximum exposure amongst those closest to her, where the humiliation was likely to be overwhelmingly crushing,” he said.

““For a period of time this applicant's behaviour wrecked this young girl’s life.”

Affirming Playfair’s prison term, Lord Justice Treacy concluded: “There can be no doubt that in all but exceptional cases, significant deterrent custodial sentences should be imposed upon those who engage in blackmail and overlapping or related offending, particularly where the victim is young, vulnerable or both.”