After admitting guilt to cyberflashing, a man in England was sentenced to 66 weeks in prison. The nation’s first person to be found guilty of the offense under the Online Safety Act is Nicholas Hawkes. Cyberflashing, or sending unsolicited images of one’s genitalia, was made illegal in England and Wales on January 31st.
Prosecutor Hannah von Dadelzsen said in a statement, “Cyberflashing is a serious crime which leaves a lasting impact on victims, but all too often it can be dismissed as thoughtless ‘banter’ or a harmless joke.” “Those who commit indecent exposure online should expect to face consequences, just as those who commit indecent exposure in the real world do; hiding behind a screen does not shield you from the law.”
Registered sex offender Hawkes, of Basildon, Essex, admitted to sending a photo of his genitals to a 15-year-old girl and a woman in early February. The woman took screenshots of the image and reported it to police. Cyberflashing victims receive lifelong anonymity under the Sexual Offences Act after reporting such crimes.
Hawkes pleaded guilty on February 12 to two counts of sending a photograph or film of genitals to cause alarm, distress or humiliation. He was held in custody until his sentencing on Tuesday. Hawkes was jailed for one year for the cyberflashing counts, and 14 weeks for breaching a previous order. He was convicted last year of exposure and sexual activity with a child under 16 and was sentenced to a community order.
Some other jurisdictions have similar laws against cyberflashing. Scotland banned it in 2010 and Northern Ireland followed suit last year. Singapore made it a crime in 2019, while the practice is illegal in some circumstances in Australia. Some states have moved to tackle cyberflashing too, including California, Virginia and Texas.
