Deviant recorded repeated sex attacks on sleeping girlfriend and uploaded images to porn sites
A deviant recorded repeated sex attacks on his sleeping girlfriend then uploaded the images to porn sites and encouraged viewers to share them.
The unsuspecting victim knew nothing of what the 34-year-old had done to her until years after they split and she received a message from someone on Facebook who asked "who did you annoy?" with a link attached.
Newcastle Crown Court heard the woman initially thought it was a prank until she opened the internet page and saw graphic pictures of herself but had no idea who had posted them.
Prosecutor Liam O'Brien said: "Her reaction was visceral, she was so shocked she literally began to shake.
"She burst into tears and struggled to breathe during what she described as a panic attack."
The court heard the defendant, from Sunderland, who cannot be named to protect the identity of the victim, had uploaded images to at least five pornographic sites, one of which was dedicated to people humiliating and degrading their partners while they sleep.
Mr O'Brien said some of the pictures were taken while the defendant was abusing the woman and others showed her private parts under her nightwear, all while she was asleep and unaware.
The pictures had captions such as "North East Slag", "Web Slut", and encouraged people to "spread her pics" and included her name and home town.
Some also included regular images he had stolen from her Facebook page.
The woman said in an impact statement: "I can't begin to describe how violated this has made me feel.
"My mind went into overdrive, I didn't know who the person was, who had the images, who had taken the images or when. I was inconsolable."
When her ex was exposed as the person behind the sickening campaign, the victim added: "I was in a relationship with him for a long time and although it was unhappy by the end there was still many years of trust and privacy between us."
She added she has been left "deeply hurt, traumatised and upset" and said: "I continue to live in constant fear about people looking at me in the street or wondering have they seen the pictures online.
"I fear further photographs remain out there and could be released or resurface at any time."
The defendant admitted nine charges of sexual assault, 11 of voyeurism and one of disclosing private sexual photographs with intent to cause distress.
He was jailed for five-and-a-half years with lifelong sex offender registration and a sexual harm prevention order.
The judge said it was "cruel and despicable" conduct, branded the defendant a sexual deviant and added that the victim will never know who has or will see the images.
The court heard the defendant had mental health problems that the judge said had a "fairly limited link" to his behaviour.