A WOMAN was jailed after she blackmailed a man she met online into giving her more than £28,000 by threatening to share explicit photos of him with his family and friends.
The victim was so afraid of the demands made of him by Lauren Dowling, 23, of Gwaun Newydd, Lansbury Park, Caerphilly, that he handed over £20,000 inheritance money.
Heath Edwards, prosecuting, said the man borrowed from family and took out payday loans and credit cards to try and keep up with her ultimatums.
Cardiff Crown Court heard how Dowling and the complainant first met on Snapchat in May 2018 and started a virtual relationship and never met.
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Judge Richard Twomlow heard how the defendant brought the online romance to a half before she invented a boyfriend called Liam.
Through this imaginary man, the victim began to be extorted to hand over money by threats to post nude photos of him online.
Dowling pleaded guilty to blackmail.
She was jailed for two years and eight months.
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