Revenge porn threats ‘should be made illegal’

Report into case of woman killed by ex-partner makes 20 recommendations for dealing with offenders

A domestic homicide review has recommended that revenge porn threats should be made illegal, after the murder of Alice Ruggles. The 24-year-old was killed by a jealous ex-partner after he had previously threatened to release intimate photos when she called off their relationship.

REVENGE porn threats should be made illegal after the murder of Alice Ruggles, a domestic homicide review has recommended. Ms Ruggles, 24, was killed by her jealous ex-partner Trimaan Dhillon in October 2016 after he had previously threatened to release intimate photos of her when she called off their relationship.

Dhillon, a lance corporal at the time who trained with the Special Reconnaissance Regiment, was jailed for life following a trial at Newcastle Crown Court in April 2017.

Revenge porn – which is the sharing of private, sexual photos with the purpose of causing embarrassment – became an offence in 2015 and those found guilty face a prison sentence of up to two years. According to the UK’S Revenge Porn Helpline, there has been a huge year-on-year increase in reported incidents, with the hotline receiving just over 500 reports in 2015 and more than 1,000 in 2017.

Now Ms Ruggles’ local authority, Gateshead council, has published 20 recommendations in a domestic homicide review for the Home Office and the Ministry of Defence to act upon, including criminalising threats to release intimate pictures. Ms Ruggles had contacted Northumbria Police about Dhillon’s stalking in the days before he killed her. An officer contacted his barracks in Edinburgh and spoke to a superior, but not the military police or Police Scotland, and Dhillon was then told to stop contacting her or face arrest.

But he ignored the warning from within the regiment, continued to contact her and eventually drove 120 miles to Tyneside to murder the Sky employee. In the review, Sue and Clive Ruggles, her parents, said: “We believe that her death was preventable. We find it difficult to comprehend that, although Alice described in her first phone call to the police that she was being stalked and provided ample evidence, the police and the Army were unable to support and protect her.”

Ms Ruggles’s sister Emma, herself a serving soldier, said she was “frustrated” by the Army’s response to the murder. The soldier had a history of offending against ex-partners and Emma could not believe the Army was unaware as he was serving at the time.

Asst Chief Constable Rachel Bacon of Northumbria Police said: “With the help of Alice’s family we are now leading the way in training officers in the best way to deal with these types of offences, with their input vital in developing a video which is now also used by other forces and partners.”

A Ministry of Defence spokesman said: “We are committed to tacking domestic abuse and last year launched a strategy to help prevent domestic abuse in all its forms. This includes prevention of abuse in the home and providing support to the families of service personnel who may be affected.”