Prosecutors in England and Wales are failing to obtain orders requiring the deletion of intimate content shared without consent, analysis reveals

Perpetrators of “revenge porn” offences are being allowed to keep explicit images of their victims on their devices, after a failure by prosecutors to obtain orders requiring their deletion.

An Observer analysis of court records in intimate image abuse cases has found that orders for the offenders to give up their devices and delete photos and videos are rarely being made. Of 98 cases concluded in the magistrates courts in England and Wales in the past six months, just three resulted in a deprivation order.

In other cases involving digital devices, such as offences regarding indecent images of children, these orders were made consistently.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) this weekend said more must be done to “stop ­perpetrators retaining these images and continuing to take gratification from their crimes”.

  • LostXOR
    16•17 hours ago

    Obviously always issuing deletion orders would be a good thing, but it doesn’t seem like it would be very effective. It would be all too easy for the offender to stash a backup flash drive somewhere before “complying” with the order.

    • @[email protected]English
      7•6 hours ago

      Also, while it seems such an order is legal - should it be?

      If these were legally obtained photos, why should someone be compelled to delete them? Compelled deletion is a slippery slope. Shared a legally purchased mp3 with a friend? Delete it. Shared a picture of Beyonce at the Superbowl? Delete it.

  • @[email protected]English
    27•21 hours ago

    There’s a cool YouTube channel called “Will it Blend,” and I think that dude should get those phones.