Landlord jailed for nude pictures blackmail (From Your Local Guardian)
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Croydon landlord threatened to post nude pictures of tenant's wife online
8:11am Tuesday 21st August 2012 in Top Stories
Mark Mamerga was sentenced to eight months in jail at Croydon Crown Court
A landlord who threatened to post naked pictures of his tenant’s wife on the internet to claim rent arrears has been jailed.
Mark Mamerga, 36, of Alton Road, was sentenced to eight months in jail after pleading guilty to blackmail at Croydon Crown Court on Friday August 17.
Mamerga, who works as a bus driver, admitted seizing his tenants lap top in lieu of payment of £350 in rent arrears and when he discovered nude photographs on the machine, threatening to plaster them across the internet.
Recorder Stuart Trimmer QC told the first-time offender: "This is not a threat to embarrass just the person who is not paying, but that threat to expose the whole family has put great pressure on the victim and his wife.
"If you threaten to put pictures of the man's naked wife on the internet then you can expect she will not be best pleased about that.
"Blackmail is a serious offence and there must be a level of deterrent.
"This course of conduct must have involved considerable distress, not only to the man who was not paying, but also to his family."
The father of two carried out the threats between May 12 and May 19 this year.
Mr Trimmer said: "They were put under strain by your threats to expose the female partner to ridicule by placing an image of her naked body on the internet.
"You were going to hold this family up to ridicule."
