A successful actor has won a High Court ruling preventing a former lover publishing sexually explicit images of him, in a case of so-called “revenge porn”.
The actor, who can only be identified as JPH, had been in a relationship with XYZ for a number of months, during which time a number of photos and videos of nudity and sexual activity were taken on devices belonging to the actor, said Mr Justice Popplewell.
Last Friday, XYZ threatened to post the images on social media or get them published in magazines in revenge for JPH ending the relationship. XYZ also emailed a former partner of JPH giving graphic details of his alleged sexual activity and later sent the former partner two explicit videos.
JPH was also told that files with copies of the images had been lodged with two unidentified friends who would be authorised to get them published should the police become involved.
Giving his reasons yesterday for granting an interim non-disclosure order against XYZ on Saturday, the judge said: “There is cogent, credible and as yet uncontradicted evidence that the photographs and videos were taken in circumstances where JPH had a strong case for asserting that he had a reasonable expectation of privacy and in circumstances attracting confidentiality. This engaged his rights to respect for private and family life under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights.”
The judge added that any argument for the protection of XYZ’s rights of freedom of expression carried little weight when the threatened publication of the material was motivated by revenge and possibly blackmail.
Shortly before the hearing, a small number of images of the actor appeared on a website but JPH succeeded in having them removed.
Press Association
