Man pleads guilty in revenge porn arraignment

A man has been handed an 18-month prison sentence, suspended for three years, after he pleaded guilty to criminal charges relating to revenge porn.

The 33-year-old German national, who works at a Malta-based iGaming company, was arraigned in court this afternoon, accused of sharing intimate photographs of his former girlfriend without her consent, with the intent to cause distress or harm.

He was also charged with improper use of electronic communications equipment, attempting to use force to insult or hurt his ex-partner and with failing to report the loss of his German passport to the authorities.

Magistrate Elaine Mercieca heard police inspectors Audrey Micallef and Marcus Cachia explain how the man’s Maltese former partner had gone to the police after becoming aware that compromising pictures of her were being circulated. 

The woman had been informed by a mutual friend that her former partner had shared the material on a group chat.

The accused, a Gzira resident, pleaded guilty to all charges during his arraignment. The charges carried with them a maximum of two years' imprisonment or a fine of between €3,000 and €5,000.

During submissions on punishment, defence lawyer Daniel Attard argued that the pictures had been shared among a small group of friends and that the man had filed an early guilty plea.

In addition to the suspended sentence, the court imposed a protection order in favour of the victim.

Names are being withheld to protect the identity of the victim.