Social Worker’s Threat To Put Private Pics On Net

A social worker told his ex-girlfriend he intended to post intimate pictures of them together on the internet – making her ill with worry.

Damien Wayne Martin also threatened to send the explicit pictures to Clare Douglas’ family, friends, neighbours and place of work, Flintshire magistrates were told yesterday.

Martin, 29, called his former partner abusive names and threatened to advertise the woman, the mother of his two children, on the web for sex.

The court at Mold heard how Miss Douglas was made ill by the threats and harassment and eventually called in the police.

Yesterday, five minutes before he was due to go on trial, Martin changed his plea and admitted a harassment charge.

The case was adjourned for sentence until January but Martin, who has since moved from the family home on Deeside to Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham, was warned that all sentencing options including custody would remain open.

He was bailed on condition he does not approach Miss Douglas or enter Flintshire in the meantime.

Flintshire magistrates’ court at Mold heard prosecution allegations that among the letters, text messages and emails which Miss Douglas was bombarded with, were four intimate photographs taken of them while they were together.

Martin threatened to put them on the internet, and he had written on two of the photographs in such a way as if to advertise his wife on the internet for sex, it was alleged.

Prosecutor Robert Blakemore said the relationship ended in May but between June and August she was bombarded with letters, texts and emails.

Martin threatened to make public intimate photographs by sending them to family, friends, neighbours and the victim’s workplace, he said.

The defendant also threatened to put them on the internet, unless he was able to see the children when he wanted. He called her abusive names and made false allegations about her private life.

The defendant had a conviction for assaulting her in the past, she feared he would assault her again, and was concerned that he had said that he would “take out” her mother, said Mr Blakemore.

Mr Blakemore said that the experience had made the victim ill, she feared answering the telephone and she had become a bag of nerves.

She described the defendant as cruel and vindictive, said she just wanted to get on with life and did not want him to contact her again.

The court was told Martin did not accept the entirety of the prosecution case but accepted his behaviour did amount to harassment. The crux of the problem was his wish to see the children, it was claimed.

Martin now had a new life back in Sutton Coldfield where he had a partner and a child, said defending solicitor Ceri Lewis.

When he asked if she wanted him to send photographs to her family and friends, and to her workplace, he was referring to innocent holiday snaps from Barcelona, Miss Lewis said.