A MAN who had secretly filmed a sex act between him and his partner sent it to another "woman" who he was involved with on an internet chat site.

Blackburn magistrates heard the sexually explicit betrayal backfired on Alistair Watson when the other person in the chat room blackmailed him by threatening to reveal his treachery to his partner.

He confessed all to his girlfriend and she involved the police.

Watson, 24, of Kelvin Street, Darwen, pleaded guilty to voyeurism by recording another person doing a private act with the intention that he and a third person would, for the purpose of sexual gratification, look at the image knowing the other person did not consent to the recording with that intention.

He was sentenced to 24 weeks in prison suspended for 24 months and made subject to a community order with 35 days Rehabilitation Activity Requirement and 60 hours unpaid work.

He was made subject to a restraining order for 12 months which prohibits any contact with the victim and ordered to pay £85 costs and £128 victim surcharge. He was made subject to the Sex Offender Registration requirements for seven years.

Peter Kelly, prosecuting, said Watson had confessed to his partner that he had been chatting to a girl in Portsmouth via the Kik messaging app.

He had sent the girl, known as Amy, a video of him masturbating and she had asked for other images.

He had sent nude pictures of his partner and then the video of them having sex on the couch which he had secretly recorded without her consent.

"She didn't give any permission for these images to be disclosed to a third party and she was unaware of the recording," said Mr Kelly.

Peter King, defending, said his client was aware of the distress he had caused and was desperate to ensure he was taking full responsibility for what had happened.

"He embarked on a series of communications with this person which appears to have been an entrapment from the start," said Mr King.

"He never thought it would develop into a situation where he had no control and he was being exploited by this other person. When it became obvious he had lost control he put a stop to it and fronted up."

He said Watson thought he was dealing with a person who could be traced but that was not the case.