Edward Foden, 40, of Bromlee Close, Newcastle, was sentenced to 18 weeks in prison after pleading guilty to sending an indecent and offensive electronic communication intended to cause distress. The case was heard at Newcastle Crown Court, where the impact of his actions on the victim and her family was detailed.

Foden sent a screen recording of a WhatsApp conversation between himself and the victim’s mother to the young woman involved. The recording included an explicit image of Foden’s penis, which left the woman feeling distressed and very uncomfortable when she opened the message. The incident reportedly occurred in the early hours of the morning, around 2 a.m., prompting the woman to call her mother while in tears.

In a victim impact statement read in court, the woman described Foden as a "bully" and expressed confusion and discomfort over receiving such offensive material. She emphasized that she had not done anything to provoke his behavior.

The victim’s mother also issued a statement, outlining the incident’s detrimental effect on their family. She described feeling physically ill and noted that the episode caused tension within the household, as well as risking damage to the trust between herself and her daughter. The mother accused Foden of attempting to manipulate and control her through targeting her child.

When questioned about the messages, Foden initially denied ownership of the explicit image. However, the victim’s mother countered this claim by stating that Foden had sent her a similar recording days earlier, establishing his connection to the content.

The defendant, who was present via video link from HMP Durham, has a criminal history that includes 41 previous convictions. He was convicted of one count of sending an indecent or grossly offensive electronic communication with the intent to cause distress or anxiety, as determined by Recorder Mark McKone.