Man jailed for 3 years for blackmailing woman for sex

MELBOURNE - A man, who blackmailed and intimidated a woman into having sex with him several times during a three-week period, has been jailed for three years.

The County Court heard the 29-year-old man told the woman he had a videotape of them having sex when she was 17, and that if she did not comply with his demands, he would show the tape to her parents.

The woman, who is from a strict Greek Orthodox background, fearing that if her parents saw the video they would be “destroyed”, complied with his demands.

The pair had met over the Internet in 2001 and had a brief relationship before the man initiated contact again in December 2007, and threatened to release the video.

The matter came to light only after the woman told her sister and the man was reported to the police though he was not charged until April 2008.

He contested the charges and the case was listed for trial until April this year, when he pleaded guilty to three counts of procuring a woman by threats or intimidation to take part in an act of sexual penetration.

Judge Tony Howard said the victim-contemplated suicide as a result of the coercion and intimidation.

“You should feel a great deal of shame and disgrace for what you have done to this lady,” the Age quoted him as telling the man.

The man has been jailed for three years to serve a minimum of two years before being eligible for parole, but he will not be a registered sex offender, as he knew the woman. (ANI)