Exclusive: Luton man blackmailed ex with revenge porn over £50 '˜debt'

Andy Vandenhurk, 40, of Mount Pleasant Road, violently attacked the ex after a row broke out at an address in Luton on October 13 last year.

Luton Magistrates’ Court heard that Vandenhurk banged the victim’s head against a wall several times and was heard to shout “I’m going to kill you”.

The victim was then grabbed by the hair, then by the throat and pushed on to a bed.

The assault was only stopped when a neighbour, who overheard Vandenhurk’s threat, knocked on the front door.

Toby Earnscliffe, prosecuting, told the court that the neighbour found the victim “in a state sobbing uncontrollably on the bed”.

Vandenhurk claimed the victim had made the threat and was being violent.

Magistrates heard that later the same evening Vandenhurk sent a comprimising image of the victim to the neighbour and the victim’s sister.

Mr Earnscliffe told the court that Vandenhurk did this in an attempt to extract £50 out of the victim.

In a text message the victim’s sister told Vandenhurk that she didn’t want to see the image, to which he replied: “Nor does the rest of the world but he owes me £50 and if I do not get it by midnight this will go viral.”

Mr Earnscliffe said: “(The victim) was really quite affected and attempted suicide.”

Vandenhurk was convicted of harrassment and assault by beating on January 14.

Appearing at Luton Magistrates Court yesterday he was told that sentencing would be adjourned until February 24, for a pre-sentence report to be conducted.

Vandenhurk was bailed with strict conditions not to contact either the victim or the neighbour involved in the incident.