Suspended sentence for Alex Lawrence from Newbury, who sent obscene image to woman

A MAN has been given a suspended jail term for sending an obscene image.

Alex Lawrence appeared for sentencing at Reading Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, July 1.

At an earlier hearing the 27-year-old, who lives in a flat in Bond House, Strawberry Hill, Newbury, had admitted sending a named woman a photograph of a person’s genitals with the intention of causing her alarm, distress or humiliation.

The offence was committed in Newbury on April 20 last year.

At that previous hearing, district judge Davinder Sandhu adjourned for pre-sentence reports.

She stipulated these should be prepared on an ‘all options’ basis, including custody.

At Tuesday’s hearing magistrates sentenced Lawrence, who was legally represented by Sally Thomson, to eight months imprisonment, suspended for 18 months.

In addition, he was ordered to complete 100 hours of unpaid community work.

Next, Lawrence was required to pay £85 costs, plus a statutory victim services surcharge of £187.

Finally, magistrates made him subject to a restraining order preventing him from contacting his victim, either directly or indireclty.

The order will last indefinitely.