These bitter and twisted men shared explicit images of their victims online or even with their family in an attempt to humiliate them.
The impact "revenge porn" cases can have on their victims can be devastating and humiliating. Here the ECHO takes a look at some of the cases that have been brought before our courts in recent years involving men who have shared intimate images out of revenge.
The most recent case is that of trainee teacher Robert Leary who hacked a woman's snapchat account, stole explicit pictures of her and sent her threatening messages.
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Leary, of Moorside Road, Crosby, intimidated and harassed the woman for three months from December 2021 after downloading private images of her in a state of undress.
Robert Leary
Leary, of Moorside Road, Crosby, repeatedly accessed his victim's private account even after she changed her password.
Leary demanded further naked pictures of the woman, who the ECHO has chosen not to name, in exchange for deleting the ones he already had, offered her money in exchange for "more", and sent her unsolicited explicit images.
The victim said she felt "embarrassed and ashamed" and did not tell her family or fiancé about the messages, but approached a cyber crime charity which encouraged her to report what was happening to the police. One week later, her "worst fears" were realised when the mystery man sent the naked pictures of her to her fiancé and asked him: "Do you know her?"
A police investigation traced the harassment to Robert Leary, a 27-year-old trainee teacher and former paralegal. He pleaded guilty to computer misuse, harassment and sending indecent images, and was sentenced to 12 weeks in prison, suspended for 12 months at Sefton Magistrates' Court on January 11.
His victim said: "This series of incidents have been the worst time in my life. It has changed who I am. I now experience increased anxiety and worry that nothing I do will ever be private again. It has caused me to doubt my self worth as anything more than just a sexual object. Even the noise of the snapchat notification or logo on somebody else's device gives me an awful feeling in my stomach. I can only hope that no other woman will go through this horrendous experience."
A previous version of this article reported that Robert Leary had sent the victim unsolicited explicit images of himself. In fact, the CPS have confirmed that there was no evidence to suggest that the explicit images Leary sent to the victim were of him.
We are happy to clarify this and have amended the article accordingly.
Gareth Rees
A woman was left feeling "distraught" after her ex-boyfriend posted explicit pictures and videos of her on social media.
Gareth Rees uploaded the materials of his former partner on Facebook and Instagram, as well as sending them directly to her loved ones. She was left so devastated by his actions that she was unable to even walk the dog.
Liverpool Magistrates' Court heard that the couple had been in a relationship for around a year before their romance came to an end in early May this year. But Rees, of Barrington Road in Wallasey, had a "strong, visceral and disproportionate reaction".
On May 6 last year, the 44-year-old sent "sexual material" of her to her daughter's boyfriend - who did not open the message. Just over a week later, he posted an explicit video of the woman on Instagram.
The following day, Rees messaged a pornographic image to another of her ex-boyfriends but deleted the picture before it was seen. Around a month later, he posted a photograph of her to Facebook in which her face could not been seen.
The latter act put him in breach of a six-month non-molestation order which Rees was handed by Birkenhead Magistrates' Court on June 22. His vile campaign of harassment was described as causing her to "suffer serious psychological harm".
Magistrates jailed him for a year after the defendant admitted disclosing private sexual photographs with intent to cause distress and breaching a non-molestation order. Rees was also handed a five-year restraining order and told to pay court costs of £120 plus a £156 victim surcharge.
Jonathon Nolan
A man burgled his ex-boyfriend, sent him a cryptic song reference and then shared explicit videos of the pair with his victim’s mum and brother.
Jonathon Nolan broke into the home where his former lover was staying, stealing clothes and leaving a child witness terrified.
He then messaged his victim with a reference to a vinyl record that may have been stolen in the burglary, before sending the intimate footage.
Nolan had been in a relationship with the victim for 18 months before they separated. He then became antagonistic towards his ex before targeting him in the burglary on December 5, 2020.
The next day, the victim’s mum woke to find explicit recordings of Nolan and her son had been sent to her by the defendant via WhatsApp. Two videos had been sent to her, along with the message: “This is me and your son. Enjoy.”
She told police the clips “caused her some distress”. Nolan was arrested on December 10 and admitted sending revenge porn but initially denied burglary. He later admitted burglary and was handed an 11 month prison term, suspended for two years, and ordered to complete 15 days of rehabilitation activity and 120 hours of unpaid work. He was also made the subject of a curfew and a restraining order.
Michael Dodd
A woman's heart was broken by the man she had loved when he shared naked photos of her online.
Michael Dodd sent 18 intimate pictures of his former partner to a man on Facebook Messenger.
The shocked victim said she had once planned to have children with Dodd, who was her "whole world". But after they split up in 2020, Liverpool Magistrates' Court heard towards the end of that year that 26-year-old Dodd betrayed the woman's trust and left her traumatised.
Revealing that some of the images had even been taken without her knowledge, she told the court: "This will haunt me for the rest of my life". A man informed the victim that Dodd, of Saxon Road, Moreton , Wirral, was sending explicit photos of her on Facebook Messenger on October 6 2020.
Olivia Brady, prosecuting, said there were 22 pictures in total, including 18 of the victim, some of which were "taken when she was not aware". The magistrates handed Dodd a 12-month community order, 20-day Rehabilitation Activity Requirement and 160 hours of unpaid work.
Barry McLaren
A former soldier sent a naked picture of his ex to her mother, leaving his victim feeling "completely shocked".
Barry McLaren shared the picture after the pair split in January 2019 following an assault. A court heard the couple remained in touch but McLaren, of Howell Drive, Greasby , then became inappropriate and angry.
The 48-year-old threatened to share the picture, which his victim believed had been deleted, if she didn't stop getting phone bills sent his mother's house. The woman organised for the letters to stop, but later heard from her own mum who said she had been sent the photo leaving her "disgusted" and "horrified".
McLaren's victim later spoke to the ECHO detailing the 'humiliating' experience. A court heard he had admitted disclosing a private sexual photograph with intent to cause distress and had no similar previous convictions.
McLaren received an eight-week sentence suspended for 18 months. He was also ordered to undertake 180 hours of unpaid work as well as pay £85 in costs and a £90 victim surcharge. A restraining order was also imposed preventing McLaren from getting in touch with his victim.
Anthony Ward
A 'selfish' revenge porn bully who was previously convicted for battering his victim also sent private images of her to her loved ones.
Anthony Ward, 40, of Stevenage Close, St Helens, was slammed by a judge for his 'abusive, demeaning and controlling' behaviour of his victim.
She was left 'living in fear' of the bully who would "effectively blackmail" her with threats to share revenge porn, eventually posting them to her brother-in-law and new boyfriend. After the woman’s relationship with Ward ended, he "would continue to telephone her and sent her text messages repeatedly in an effort to rekindle the relationship".
Ms Maxwell said on July 15, 2019, "the complainant received a text from the defendant that read 'This is your last chance to answer the phone otherwise I'm on my way down.
"'I'm not playing games, you're really p***ing me off and you're really pushing me to the limit again'". He would later send photos to her loved ones and threaten to circulate them around St Helens and Croxteth. Ward was jailed for nine months and a restraining order prevents him from contacting the victim.
Liam Cooney
Liam Cooney sent revenge porn to his three-year-old's iPad while he was drunk and high on cocaine.
The 33-year-old hacked his ex's social media accounts and posted a picture of her performing a sex act. After posting the image he locked the woman out of her Instagram and Snapchat accounts and later said he found posting the revenge porn "cathartic" after the pair split up.
Cooney, of Halebank Road, Widnes , admitted three counts of disclosing private sexual photographs. A court heard the woman alleged he had been violent and following a charge of assault he was on bail with the condition to stay away from her.
Cooney has previous convictions for motoring offences but nothing of a similar nature. He was jailed for 12 months and handed a five year restraining order preventing him from contacting the woman was imposed.
John Charmley
A bitter boyfriend 'punished' his exes by creating fake Instagram accounts where he would post revenge porn.
Two ex-girlfriends discovered that John Charmley had posted images of them "of a sexual nature" after they were contacted by random men. The 28-year-old even made a Tinder account for one of the women and publicly shared her phone number on the dating app.
A judge said Charmley was "punishing" women when they "don't do what you want". Charmley's representative in court said: "It's clear he's full of shame and wants to change. He has shown insight in his interview into the impact it has had on his victims."
Matthew Clark
Matthew Clark subjected a woman to two separate spates of harassment including releasing sexual images of her.
Clark - also known as Matthew Woods - bombarded his victim with "numerous" calls and texts and also went to her home address and made contact via social media. The 40-year-old, of Greenway Road, Widnes, pleaded guilty to numerous charges in relation to his victim.
They included disclosing a sexual video or photograph of a woman with intent to cause distress, which is commonly known as 'revenge porn'.
He also admitted harassment over a 13-day period; a second count of harassment over about four weeks; breaching a non-molestation order; and breaching a suspended prison sentence. That suspended term had been imposed for five previous non-molestation order breaches and failing to produce a specimen of breath.
He was jailed for one year and three months.
Patrick McConnell
A man stole his ex-girlfriend's phone and sent a sexually explicit video of her to her dad, mum, sister and new work colleagues.
Patrick McConnell met the woman on Tinder and they embarked on a four week relationship in July 2019. But when the 34-year-old started to show signs of "possessiveness", and accused her of cheating, she split up with him.
On August 29, last year, a day after they broke up, McConnell turned up unannounced at her work address where he snatched her mobile from her and fled. The same day he sent sexually explicit video to her family's Whatsapp group and to work colleagues.
After he attended her work address he handed the phone in and was arrested. A court heard McConnell had experienced a close family member bereavement in 2018 which had "affected him mentally." McConnell, of Hollingbourne Road, Norris Green, admitted disclosing private sexual photographs and films with intent to cause distress.
He has no previous convictions. McConnell was sentenced to eight months in prison suspended for 18 months.
He must also perform 200 hours of unpaid work and follow a 12-month mental health treatment requirement.
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