One-night stand blackmailer locked up for three years

Nathan Walsh, aged 22, of New Invention, had sex with the woman and then sent her text messages saying he had naked pictures of her and would expose the affair unless she gave him money, Wolverhampton Crown Court heard.

The text messages continued for more than a year.

Mr Timothy Harrington, prosecuting, said the woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, made about a dozen payments before going to the police.

He told the court that the pair had sex after drinking in 2012 and he kept nude and sexual photographs of her.

A few days later, Walsh began to send text messages to the woman asking for money and telling her about the pictures.

Mr Harrington said he made it plain that unless she paid him money he would put the photographs on the internet and tell her husband about the affair.

The woman withdrew cash from her bank account amounting to about £1,100.

Mr Harrington said: "That was money she could ill afford.

"The payments in total appear to be about a dozen."

Eventually, the woman went to the police and Walsh was arrested but initially denied blackmail, telling police she had agreed to lend him money.

Mr Harrington said a victim impact statement revealed the anxiety and stress she had suffered.

He said: "She found it difficult to deal with this as has her husband.

"She feels they have lost trust between each other."

Walsh, of Moxhull Gardens, New Invention, initially denied blackmail, dating between July 2012 and September 2013, but pleaded guilty on the day his trial was due to start.

Mrs Satvir Aujla, mitigating, said he admitted his actions had been stupid and he had been 'young and naive'.

She said: "He was too wrapped up with his own debt and the loss of his grandmother at that time."

Mrs Aujla said he had no previous convictions but Walsh feared going to prison.

She told the court that he was now in a new relationship.

Walsh fainted in the dock as Judge Martin Walsh handed him a three year jail term.

Judge Walsh told him that the period of time the blackmail happened over was an aggravating factor, adding: "This was a vicious and ugly offence and no doubt traumatised the complainant.

"This was an offence that persisted over a period of time with severe psychological trauma to the victim."