Teenager sent intimate photos of ex-girlfriend to group chat

A teenager sent intimate images of his ex-lover to a group chat that contained an underage girl.

Dean Bernard directed five collated images of his former girlfriend to the 15-year-old and two others from a property in Glasgow’s Easterhouse on May 26 this year.

The 18-year-old also posted videos of the girl dancing to music.

The messages alarmed the underage girl who was in the group chat and she alerted the victim by Facebook.

Bernard pled guilty at Glasgow Sheriff Court to disclosing images that appeared to show the victim in an intimate situation.

He also admitted coercing the 15-year-old girl to look at a sexual image and communicating indecently with her.

The court heard Bernard and the victim were in a relationship for around ten months.

The 15-year-old witness created a group chat that contained Bernard and two other friends.

Bernard sent multiple videos of the victim performing dance moves to music.

Prosecutor Jennifer Sillars said: “These did not appear to be sexual in nature or intimate.”

“He then sent a photo collage to the group chat that contained five separate images depicting the victim in various stages of undress.

“Some of which, she was wearing only her underwear while lying in bed or standing in front of a mirror.”

The witness, due to her age, felt “uncomfortable” about the images and contacted the victim on Facebook Messenger.

The victim woke up to several messages from the witness and she contacted the police.

Ms Sillars added: “The victim stated when speaking to the police she sent the images to Bernard believing they were for sexual gratification and thinking they were for Bernard’s eyes only.

“She didn’t give permission to distribute these images to other people.”

Bernard was arrested and told officers: “Yeah, I did know, that’s true.”

Bernard’s lawyer told the court that he is a “very immature young man.”

Sheriff Allan Findlay put Bernard, of Coatbridge, North Lanarkshire, under supervision for two years.