Tougher sentences for revenge porn offenders under new proposals

REVENGE PORNOGRAPHY offenders who send explicit pictures to victims’ families or set up websites to magnify their targets’ humiliation will face the toughest penalties under new sentencing proposals.

For the first time guidelines have been drafted for courts dealing with defendants convicted of disclosing private sexual images without consent.

The offence, which carries a maximum prison term of two years, was introduced in April 2015 following calls from campaigners and victims.

Today the Sentencing Council will launch a consultation on proposed rules for judges and magistrates when punishing revenge porn perpetrators in England and Wales.

The document sets out circumstances that could constitute the highest level of culpability, and therefore attract a sentence at the upper end of the scale. Behaviour calculated to cause maximum distress – such as sending images to a victim’s family who are very religious, or to their young sibling – will fall into this category.

Cases which are “sophisticated” or involve significant planning will also be viewed as particularly serious.

An example would be setting up fake social media profiles or websites in the victim’s name to upload offending material and exposing them to sexualised contact from strangers.

Prior to the change two years ago, revenge porn cases had to be pursued under copyright or harassment laws. More than 200 prosecutions have been brought since the legislation took effect.

Sentencing Council member Mrs Justice McGowan said: “These offences can be particularly sensitive and distressing.”