Sex pics sent to her family almost drove teenage girl to suicide

Lee Stanley Robinson from Moy Road, Dungannon, admitted charges of harassment and disclosing private sexual photographs without consent between January 3 and January 18 2017.

District Judge Michael Ranaghan told Robinson at East Tyrone Magistrates’ Court sitting in Dungannon that what he did was vicious, conniving and for his own sexual pleasure.

The judge said the defendant could have destroyed the girl’s life at the age of 15 and destroyed her family.

Referring to a victim impact statement, Mr Ranaghan remarked that at the time the girl had been suicidal but now wanted to put the matter behind her, and “wanted no more part in it”.

Robinson was released on personal bail of £500 for the purposes of an appeal against the sentence. He was also placed under a Sexual Offences Prevention Order for five years.

The court, which sat last Friday, heard that even when the girl expressed fears and distress, Robinson told her not “to take an attitude with him,” and she should “keep to the deal”.

Prosecution counsel said when the child didn’t, the defendant sent videos as a “payback” and later told police during interview that it was “a way of teaching her a lesson”.

The lawyer said the injured party’s mother came to the police “extremely upset” after receiving a sexually explicit video of her daughter via social media. It was sent from Robinson who also shared it with the child’s father and brother.

The girl explained she was blackmailed by Robinson into providing sexual images after he sent her an e-cigarette and a vibrator.

These had been discovered by the mother some months beforehand, and confiscated, so the child was unable to return them, “as part of the deal”.

Continuing, counsel said police arrested Robinson and seized his phone, which contained evidence including images of the child in a semi-naked state. Of 26 images recovered, 17 were classed as the Category A – the most serious. There were eight Category C images and a single Category B.

Defence counsel Noel Dillon apologised on behalf of Robinson, who he said was being investigated to see if he is on the autism spectrum.

He described the defendant as “socially isolated” with few friends who was deeply traumatised when his father became ill and later died.

Mr Dillon, who handed in letters of reference for the defendant, pleaded with the court not to impose a custodial sentence and instead consider a period on probation or community service.