Work order for ‘revenge porn’ threat man, 20

A DUNDEE man who threatened to display an image of a woman in an intimate situation has become one of the first to be prosecuted under legislation that came into force in July.

Kieran Coyle, 20, of Laird Street, admitted threatening the woman i n a socalled “revenge porn” assault in August.

Coyle is thought to be the first Dundee resident charged under the Abusive Behaviour and Sexual Harm (Scotland) Act 2016.

A campaign was launched by the Scottish Government following the implementation of the law.

Perpetrators have been warned they can face up to five years in prison if found guilty of committing crimes against the Act.

However, Coyle was spared detention when he appeared for sentencing at the sheriff court. Instead, he was ordered to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work.

At his trial, the court heard Coyle met the woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, through a dating app before communicating with her on social media.

They exchanged “explicit” pictures, but the relationship ended after the woman failed t o repay money he had loaned to her.

Coyle then threatened to post an image of the woman on social media to gain retribution for the money he was owed.

Solicitor Jim Laverty, representing Coyle, told the court his client was “very embarrassed with himself”.

Mr Laverty said: “They met through a dating app and communicated through social media.

“They then found difficulties because Mr Coyle, who was in full-time employment at the time, offered to lend her money.

“The money was then not repaid and he i ntimated that he would share the image because of this.

“It was a threat, but it was probably a threat that he would have never carried out.

“He accepts that this would have caused stress to the young lady. He is very embarrassed with himself.”

Coyle admitted trying to cause t he woman f ear, alarm or distress by threatening to disclose the photo of her, in an intimate situation, which had not been disclosed to the public previously, over social media.