A Chippenham man who shared a woman’s sexual images has avoided a prison sentence.
Dale Hiscox pleaded guilty to sharing photographs of a person in an intimate state without consent when he appeared at Swindon Magistrates’ Court.
The 48-year-old, of Boothmead, exchanged images of a vulnerable victim with other men online over the course of 20 months.
In a statement read out in court, the victim said: “I was encouraged to take intimate sexual photos and share them with Dale, something I had not done previously and something I thought to be strictly between us only.
“I discovered that Dale had in fact used the intimate photos of me and had, without consent, on numerous occasions shared them on the internet, often used as currency for receiving photos of other men’s partners in return.
“I find myself feeling paranoid, knowing that there are sexual intimate photos of me online and constantly wondering whether any friends, work colleagues and my social circles may have seen them, let alone the fear that I have no control whether my own children may be exposed to them in the future.
“I have had to seek psychological therapy from a clinical psychologist to help me with these feelings of shame and paranoia.
“I was signed off work…and have had to take frequent time off for mental health reasons since, all related to the stress of what Dale has done.”
Hiscox must also complete 20 rehabilitation activity requirement days with the probation service, and pay a £500 fine and court courts.
The court imposed a restraining order prohibiting contact with the victim for three years.
Victims of sexual crimes have the right to lifelong anonymity. It is an imprisonable criminal offence to share any piece of information that could lead to their identification.
