Man jailed for texting blackmail

File photo / Herald on Sunday

Police have welcomed a jail sentence handed down to a Nelson man who attempted to extort money from another man through threatening text messages.

Rhyce Crawford Milne, 20, was yesterday sentenced to five-and-a-half months' imprisonment after earlier admitting blackmail, The Marlborough Express reported.

Milne sent three abusive text messages to a man he claimed owed him $10 for a drug deal, and threatened to post details of the man's partner's sexual abuse on Facebook if the money was not paid.

In the High Court at Blenheim yesterday, Justice Ronald Young told Milne he tried "to extort money from people who owed you nothing" and was already on a final warning for other charges.

Police national electronic crime manager Maarten Kleintjes said it was good that text and cyber bullying was being treated seriously.

It was far easier to bully someone by text or internet from home than to confront them physically.

- NZPA