In a first, Englishman jailed for sending unsolicited nudes
Nicholas Hawkes, a 39-year-old resident of Essex, is England's first convicted case of cyberflashing (sending unsolicited sexual images). He was sentenced to 66 weeks in prison. The verdict was delivered under the newly enacted Online Safety Act, effective from January 31. Prior to this case, the individual was already on the sex offenders register due to previous convictions for sexual activity with a minor and indecent exposure.
The crime and its impact on the victims
On February 9, Hawkes used his father's phone to send unsolicited explicit images of himself to a teenage girl and an elderly woman. The Southend Crown Court learned that the young girl was left distraught and in tears after receiving the inappropriate image. Both victims promptly captured screenshots of the messages and reported Hawkes to Essex police.
Legal proceedings and sentencing of Hawkes
Hawkes admitted his guilt on two charges of transmitting explicit images with intent to cause, distress or humiliation. Alongside his prison sentence, he received a restraining order lasting a decade for both victims. He was also issued a sexual harm prevention order that prohibits him from approaching unknown women in public spaces for 15 years.
Prosecution's stance on cyberflashing
Prosecutor Hannah von Dadelzsen underscored the gravity of cyberflashing, highlighting its enduring impact on victims and dismissing it as neither harmless humor nor casual banter. She further stressed that online offenders should face equivalent penalties as those guilty of indecent exposure offline, reinforcing that digital anonymity does not provide immunity from legal repercussions.
International laws against cyberflashing
Cyberflashing is illegal in numerous jurisdictions worldwide. Scotland outlawed it in 2010, with Northern Ireland following suit last year. Singapore criminalized the act in 2019, and it's deemed illegal under certain conditions in Australia. Several US states, including California, Virginia and Texas, have also taken legislative action against cyberflashing.
