A man who sent a naked picture of his ex-partner to her son and posted explicit images of the woman and her sister online has been jailed.
John Devaney was branded “pig ignorant” by a sheriff as he was given a 12-month sentence for a campaign of intimidation.
Oban Sheriff Court heard his “disgusting behaviour” followed the end of his relationship with his victim after he hit “rock bottom”.
The 39-year-old originally admitted sending his ex threatening text messages two weeks after they split up in December 2014.
The texts included sexually explicit images taken with her consent during their relationship.
He also sent a sexually explicit picture of the woman to her son – who was then 18.
The delivery driver admitted sending text messages of a grossly offensive or obscene or menacing character, by swearing and uttering offensive sexual remarks, and threatening to post sexual pictures of the woman on the internet.
He also admitted intentionally causing her son to look at a sexual image of her by sending him the picture.
Sentence was deferred to allow him to save up to pay a fine, but he then broke his bail conditions and appeared in court again for sending a threatening letter to his ex and posting photographs online.
Yesterday, Devaney admitted engaging in a course of conduct which caused fear and alarm between April 30 and May 3 2015 by sending a threatening letter and posting sexually explicit images of his ex-partner and her sister on Facebook.
The court heard Devaney – formerly of Oban but now of Flat 2/2 Barterholm Road, Paisley – had been sent a picture of the woman’s sister by her own partner several years previously.
Sheriff Ruth Anderson decided against putting him on the sex offenders register when he appeared for sentence yesterday.
She said: “I don’t see them as sexual offences, I described them as being pig ignorant. I still think that, but he didn’t take the warnings.”
And she told Devaney: “This was, to my mind, a course of conduct which you persisted in despite the opportunities given to you by the court and the warnings and advice given to you by those you instruct.
“I should take and do take a very serious view of this kind of offending. I accept you have now moved away from the area but my view is that there must be a custodial sentence.”
Devaney’s agent, solicitor Jane Thomson said his “disgusting behaviour” came about after he “hit rock bottom” following the end of the relationship and turned to alcohol and cocaine.
She said he had since got his life back together, moved away from Oban and stopped taking drugs.
