England has sentenced a man to 66 weeks in prison for 'cyberflashing,' and it is considered a crime in the country to send unsolicited photos of one's genitalia to victims.
Nicholas Hawkes was the first man to be convicted of a cyberflashing crime in the country under the country's Online Safety Act, a law that protects people online from the dangers and harmful experiences they encounter.
This was only observed in England and Wales on January 31, with the police accepting reports of these with proof before they make arrests.
England Jails First Cyberflasher Criminal
UK's Crown Prosecution Service announced the conviction of the first cyberflasher criminal in its history since the Online Safety Act's cyberflashing provision took effect in England and Wales at the end of January.
Hawkes, a registered sex offender, was given 66 weeks to serve in prison for his crimes after exposing himself to a 15-year-old girl.
This all happened online, with Hawkes sending his image to the minor, who then took screenshots and reported the incident to the police. Under the law, victims who come forward will be made anonymous for life to protect them and their identity.
"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," said chief prosecutor Hannah von Dadelzsen.
"Just as those who commit indecent exposure in the physical world can expect to face the consequences, so too should offenders who commit their crimes online; hiding behind a screen does not hide you from the law."
Online Safety Act: No Unsolicited Pics
Hawkes remains under custody to await his sentencing and is a stern reminder for online criminals in England and Wales who are sending unsolicited images of their private parts to victims.
Under the Online Safety Act, this is considered a criminal offense, and CPS provides tools to help prosecute and put them behind bars.
Children and Women's Online Safety
Since 2022, the United Kingdom's Office of Communications (Ofcom) has prioritized passing the Online Safety Act to protect innocent individuals like women and children when using the internet.
Last November, Ofcom shared the proposed guidelines for the now-approved law in the countries under it with tech firms for compliance with its regulations.
The Office also imposed age restrictions for online porn access from multiple platforms, and it is requiring people to present proof of age from facial recognition scans and ID photos to verify the user's age.
It picks up on the abandoned proposition in 2019, which looks to deliver a new restriction for pornography access, with the final guidelines for this coming by 2025.
Sending intimate photos to one's partner is acceptable but should be one's private business, but unsolicited images it is considered a crime in England and Wales with impending jail time depending on the charge.
Hawkes adds more to his notoriety as a registered sex offender by being the first cyberflasher criminal in England facing incarceration, and others are not guaranteed to get away from this with the new law.
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