Blackmailer threatened to leak ‘well-known’ trans person’s sex videos to press unless businessman father paid up
Westminster Magistrates Court in London, England, United Kingdom. (photo by Mike Kemp/In Pictures via Getty Images Images)
A “well-known” trans person’s family was blackmailed with videos of them having sex, a court has heard.
Westminster Magistrates’ Court in London heard that the person’s father, a “businessman of public standing”, was told that the explicit videos would be sent to the media unless he paid cash.
Jack Gibson, 27, is accused of blackmailing the family.
The identities of both complainants are being protected, though prosecutor Julie Idowu described the victim as a “well-known public figure” who “struggles with their gender identity and sexuality”.
The court heard that Gibson had obtained “videos and pictures” of the victim after they had sex on two occasions.
Defendant had planned to release videos to press.
According to the Daily Mirror, the prosecutor told the court: “The defendant had been in talks with the media to release the videos and pictures which seemed to be concerning matters that occurred in private.
“He was found at a hotel when he was arrested. He’s already been in negotiations with the press about releasing the bits of evidence he had. He has referred to backing up the evidence.”
Westminster Magistrates Court in London, England, United Kingdom. (photo by Mike Kemp/In Pictures via Getty Images Images)
Idowu added: “[Gibson] still has these pieces of evidence to use to blackmail the witnesses in this case. His intention is still to release these to the press.
“We don’t want the media to out their sexuality or gender.”
Trans victim cannot be identified.
District Judge Samuel Goozee issued an order preventing the two victims, who were not named during the court hearing, from being identified.
The judge said he would consider the “nature of the blackmail offence and the sensitivity to the victim and the victim’s father who is the second witness regarding the blackmail, and the nature of the blackmail which involves the exposure of the identities to the media itself.”
Gibson, who faces two counts of blackmail as well as counts of possession of class A and B drugs, was remanded in custody ahead of a hearing at Southwark Crown Court on May 26.
