A U.K. man sent unwanted nudes. He's going to prison under a new law.
Man sentenced for cyberflashing in England.
- Bilawal Riaz
- 1 min read
A 39-year-old man from Essex, England, named Nicholas Hawkes has become the first person to be sentenced for sending unsolicited explicit photos of his genitals in England and Wales. Hawkes, who is already a convicted sex offender, was given a 66-week prison sentence for sending photos of his erect penis to a 15-year-old girl and an adult woman over WhatsApp. The incident led to his conviction under the new Online Safety Act, which criminalizes cyberflashing. Hawkes was also sentenced for breaching a previous court order and was given restraining and sexual harm prevention orders. The case highlights the seriousness of cyberflashing and aims to combat online sexual harassment. In the US, laws in states like California and Texas are also being established to address cyberflashing, with California’s FLASH Act allowing civil damages for recipients of unwanted lewd images.