'Please get rid of the video': Gardaí release texts in sextortion awareness campaign

The Harassment, Harmful Communications and Related Offences Act 2020 was enacted in February 2021 and to date, An Garda Síochána has commenced 72 prosecutions related to 49 investigations.

A woman using her mobile phone

Text messages released by An Garda Síochána today have highlighted “sextortion”, a form of cyber extortion which involves a threat or blackmail of having intimate information, images or clips shared without consent.

The messages which formed part of the evidence in a case that was brought before the courts in 2021 show the man saying: “Last night was great. I keep looking at the video.”