A 21-YEAR-old man uploaded an intimate video of him and his teenage ex-girlfriend engaged in sexual activity after she refused to rekindle their relationship.

Blackburn magistrates heard the 16-year-old girl was caused acute embarrassment by the actions of Thomas Breschi who had already been issued with a harassment warning by police.

Breschi, of Rosefield Road, Staines in Middlesex, pleaded guilty to harassing the girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, and disclosing private films with intent to cause distress. Posting 'revenge porn' images and videos online became a criminal offence in 2015.

He was sentenced to six months in prison suspended for two years and ordered to pay £500 compensation. He was also made subject to a restraining order for two years which prohibits him from contacting the girl or entering Colne.

Philippa White, prosecuting, said over a period of months Breschi had been sending the girl messages and making unwanted phone calls to her mobile and home phone numbers.

He tried to contact her through social media and even attempted to phone her mother.

Despite being issued with the harassment warning he messaged the girl and asked if they could talk and warned her not to block him.

She did not respond and, in another message, he said he had not deleted “our video” and warned he would post it publicly if she did not change her ways.

“He said it was payback time and then sent her screenshots of the pair of them together which were intimate,” said Mrs White. “She checked her Instagram account and saw he had uploaded a video of a sexual nature.”

Mrs White said the victim began to get calls from friends who had seen the video. "She was ashamed and acutely embarrassed and felt her life had been ruined,” said Mrs White.

When he was interviewed by police Breschi said he felt angry about the breakdown of the relationship.

Geoffrey Ireland, defending, said his client had struggled to come to terms with the break-up of the relationship.

“His complex mental health issues affected the way he behaved back in June and the young man who is now carefully medicated is not the man who behaved in such a despicable way,” said Mr Ireland.