Bradford blackmailer who demanded money by saying he would out man on social media as a rapist

A brutal Bradford blackmailer falsely claimed a man had raped a teenage girl so he could swindle him out of thousands of pounds.

Daniel Whitehead, 27, threatened to post messages between the man and a woman on Reddit, Twitter and Facebook unless he got the money he demanded. Bradford Crown Court heard on Tuesday that when the victim was 20, he was in a relationship with a 16-year-old girl. Whitehead believed she was in fact 15, and tried to blackmail him.

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Prosecutor Adam Walker told the court that in a message sent on January 13, 2022, Whitehead wrote: "£1,000 or the messages get leaked." In another, he wrote: "Everything with dates...everything that you sent her, videos of your d*** etc."

He then wrote: "I don't think people will take it too lightly you raped a 15-year-old. Completely up to you. Send a grand or you will get exposed on Reddit and they will do the rest."

The man sent the money immediately, but on May 7 another £1,000 was demanded by Whitehead, who then told him: "I tell a lie, she wants £2,000 so she can pay all of her debts off and have some left over. I think she deserves that from you. Send it over or you get exposed to Reddit, Twitter and Facebook."

This time, the man reported Whitehead to the police. In his interview, Mr Walker said he claimed the man had raped the teenage girl, now a woman. She was then hauled in for questioning herself, but proceedings against her were not taken any further.

Mr Walker said: "The police investigated his claims and found no evidence to support them, but found evidence of a gambling habit."

Whitehead, of Chartist Close, went on to plead guilty to blackmail at his plea, trial and preparation hearing. Mr Walker said no victim personal statement was made, but at the end of his statement, the victim said: "This has really been hard to deal with and has been very emotionally tolling on me. I can't sleep because of this and worrying about my online status...

"The thing that scared me the most was the false allegation I raped her when she was 15-years-old."

Rebecca Young, mitigating, told the court Whitehead's initial intention was to seek compensation for the victim. She said: "He knows that it is not accepted that he did give some of that money to her. At least at the outset [of the offending] there seems there was a reason for his intention but he accepts he should have gone to the police...

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"He believed she was under 16, albeit it would appear from further enquiries that wasn't the case. That was his belief at the time. He is adamant he made the decision alone without her knowledge."

Ms Young said Whitehead was of previous good character, and had shown "genuine remorse" for his actions. She added: "He is motivated to work with the probation service in order to ensure he doesn't find himself in the situation again."

Recorder Mark McKone KC spared Whitehead an immediate prison sentence, instead handing him 21 months suspended for two years. He said: "Blackmail still comes before the courts quite rarely and that is because it is regarded so seriously by the courts."

Whitehead was ordered to carry out 35 days rehabilitation activity requirement and was told he will be on a six-month curfew between the hours of 7pm and 5am. The judge said: "This has been a very close decision indeed."