Romany Hamilton, a 34-year-old woman from Yeovil in Somerset, has been sentenced to 12 months in prison after attempting to blackmail her ex-boyfriend for £10,000 by threatening to post explicit videos of him online.

The court heard that Hamilton first contacted her former partner out of the blue in October 2020, requesting financial assistance as she claimed to be struggling financially. Initially, the victim transferred her £200. However, Hamilton approached him again a few weeks later, demanding £10,000. When he expressed his inability to meet her demands, Hamilton threatened to share sexual images and videos of him online.

Despite denying any contact with the victim and claiming her Facebook account had been hacked, Hamilton pleaded guilty to a single charge of blackmail. The victim reported feeling sick with worry about what Hamilton might do, prompting him to report the incident to the police.

During sentencing at Bournemouth Crown Court, Judge Susan Evans KC criticized Hamilton’s actions, describing her threats as “very cruel” and acknowledging the significant distress caused to the victim.

Hamilton was sentenced to 12 months in prison, with the judge specifying that she would serve half of the term before being released on licence. The court highlighted the seriousness of sextortion, a type of online blackmail where individuals threaten to share sexual images or videos of the victim unless they comply with their demands.

The case underscores the dangers of online extortion and the impact it can have on victims’ mental and emotional well-being. The National Crime Agency has issued warnings about the rise in sextortion cases targeting vulnerable individuals, including children.