A man who shared intimate photos of a couple without their consent has been jailed.
James Ledsham appeared at Chester Crown Court on Monday 12th January where he was sentenced to 30 months in prison.
The 24-year-old of Clough Walk in Crewe, had pleaded guilty to blackmail, harassment, and two counts of sharing intimate photographs without consent, at an earlier hearing.
The case began in September 2024, when a family member of the victims’ received intimate images of the couple from a Facebook user called ‘Jerry Saa’.
The family member informed the victims of the images they had received, but the couple had no idea who ‘Jerry Saa’ was and initially tried to ignore the messages.
However, the harassment escalated in November 2024 when ‘Jerry Saa’ contacted one of the victim’s directly and demanded they send him more intimate photos.
Within the messages, he stated that if the victim did not comply, he would share the intimate photos he already had with the victims’ family and friends as well as post them on Facebook.
The victims tried to ignore the threats, however, were contacted shortly afterwards by a friend who stated she had been sent the intimate images of the couple from the same account.
The incident was subsequently reported to police and following enquiries, officers identified that ‘Jerry Saa’ was Ledsham.
Police Constable Toni Woodward said:
“Ledsham’s behaviour and actions have had a significant impact on both his victims.
“He hid behind a fake account while subjecting them to an immeasurable amount of distress.
“Thankfully, they had the courage to report Ledsham, and the sentence he has received is as a result of their bravery and the subsequent police investigation.
“I implore anyone who might be going through something similar to report this to police.
“While I understand how uncomfortable this can be, sharing private images is a serious offence and will be dealt with robustly.
“Please remember, help is here, and you do not need to suffer this in silence.”
You can report offences to Cheshire Police on 101 or through the Cheshire Police website.
Pictured - James Ledsham of Clough Walk in Crewe.
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