AN arrest warrant has been issued for a Co Down man due to be sentenced in "revenge porn" case.
Ryan Dickson (27) had been due to be sentenced for a case described by District Judge Mark Hamill as "squalid, devious, low and mean," at Newtownards Magistrates Court.
Defence barrister Conor Coulter conceded he had no explanation for the defendant's non-attendance.
Judge Hamill told the lawyer there was a “triple whammy” of reasons why he should issue a warrant.
"He hasn’t been to probation, he hasn’t come to court and he hasn’t got £1,000 compensation so on that basis, there’s not a hope that a warrant won’t be issued for his arrest," he said.
On the day of his contest last month Dickson, from Killaughey Road in Donaghadee, pleaded guilty to harassing a woman and the improper use of a telecommunications network "for the purpose of causing annoyance, inconvenience or needless anxiety" on dates between February 1 and August 12 last year.
While an offence of disclosing private sexual photographs “with the intention of causing her distress” was withdrawn following his guilty pleas, prosecution counsel Natalie Pinkerton told the court the file against Dickson was "in essence a revenge porn case".
Ms Pinkerton told the court that within days of Dickson and a former partner breaking up, there were instances of unwanted phone calls and following his ex in his car to such an extent that an interim non-molestation order was imposed.
Dickson was “spoken to” by police in April but following that, “two intimate pictures” of the woman appeared on social media along with various comments and associated “lengthy posts.”
Although the judge made a compensation order, he warned Dickson his victim could launch a civil action against him but that he only had himself to blame.
Issuing a warrant for Dickson’s arrest, Judge Hamill said his behaviour was “the lowest of the low and he will be dealt with by me".
"He will have £1,000 compensation for the girl whose reputation he tried to trash and if he doesn’t have that, I will throw the book at him... if that doesn’t happen, I will give him as much custody as I can and then I will still order £1,000 compensation anyway,” warned the judge.
