The victim also received a photo and a video of a male masturbating
A Co Down man who used his girlfriend’s Facebook profile to send explicit images and messages to one of her friends has been handed a four-month prison sentence.
On Friday at Newtownards Magistrates’ Court, a prosecuting lawyer outlined that the victim received multiple messages, a photo, and a video, purportedly from her friend, on 16 July 2024.
She described how the messages included asking the woman “if she shaved,” how many times she has had intercourse and “what’s the biggest she’s had.”
After the victim also received a photo and a video of a male masturbating, she contacted police and their enquiries led them to 33-year-old Liam Faloon.
At an earlier hearing Faloon, with an address on the Ballyrainey Road in Ards, admitted two charges including sending an unwanted sexual image and sending material which was “grossly offensive or of an indecent, obscene or menacing nature.”
The charges disclose that Faloon sent images to the complainant without any reasonable belief she was consenting, while either intending to cause her “humiliation, alarm or distress” or intending to gain sexual gratification for himself.
Faloon was due to be dealt with last Tuesday, but defence counsel Sean O’Hare revealed that at that time, the 33-year-old was appearing in Dungannon Court for breaching his Sexual Offences Prevention Order.
In that case, the court heard that Faloon moved from Ards to live with relatives in Tempo, but he failed to alert his Designated Risk Manager and failed to seek permission for the move.
He also failed to get permission to have the mobile phone he was found in possession of.
On Tuesday, Faloon was handed a two-month prison sentence after he admitted the SOPO breaches.
The SOPO was put in place in August 2023 when Faloon was sentenced for offences of sexual communication and sexual assault of child.
When he was sentenced at Belfast Crown Court in August 2023, the court heard how Faloon and the 16-year-old victim had been at a Christening and that he had made “inappropriate jokes” in the chapel.
At a function after the event, Faloon hugged the girl and French kissed her but when she tried to push him away, he held her tight for a few seconds before letting her go.
The court also heard that before that incident, Faloon had sent the child sexualised social media messages.
For those offences, Faloon was handed a 30-month prison sentence but he walked out of court when Judge Paul Ramsey KC suspended it for two years.
In Ards Court on Friday, Mr O’Hare conceded that Faloon is in breach of that suspended sentence, which will now be referred back to the Crown Court for review.
Imposing a four-month prison sentence for sending the explicit material, District Judge Peter Magill told Faloon “this was revolting behaviour.”
“This must’ve been very offensive to this lady,” said the judge, also imposing a three-year restraining order.
The 33-year-old remains on the police Sex Offenders Register for an indefinite period.
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