A ‘devious and dishonest conman’ who used sexual photographs to blackmail and control a series of women has been jailed.
Lewis Saxby, 32, had sexual contact with the victims before threatening to send explicit images to their friends and family if they didn’t do what he told them.
Between 2016 and 2020 one of the victims was conned out of nearly £90,000 after Saxby manipulated her into funding an entirely fictional legal case against his former employer.
He claimed that if she stopped paying the ‘legal costs’ then bailiffs would come to take items away from her home because she was now a guarantor to the court action.
When she tried to stop paying, Saxby threatened to send sexually explicit videos of her to her friends and family.
Shortly after his first visit from Nottinghamshire Police in February 2020 Saxby sent a series pleading messages to his victim urging her to withdraw her statement.
He also confided in a friend that he was ‘going to jail.’
A subsequent police investigation revealed three further victims. One was identified after detectives seized Saxby’s bank records and found an unusually large payment into his account.
Another was identified from incriminating images on his phone.
Between July 2019 and January 2020 he blackmailed one of his victims by threatening to publish explicit photographs of her.
A third woman was blackmailed into paying off an apparent £400 debt under threat that sexual images would be sent to her partner if she refused.
He also attempted unsuccessfully to coerce another woman into sending him sexual images of herself.
During his first police interview Saxby gave no comment answers to all questions posed to him.
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Subsequent searches of his electronic devices, however, revealed that in the weeks after his arrest, Saxby made several telling internet searches – including the ‘maximum sentence for taking a video of a sexual act’, ‘how to blackmail legally’, and ‘how much information the police can find on your phone.’
Despite his evident guilty conscience, Saxby, of Lymington Road, Mansfield, pleaded not guilty to all the charges against him when he first appeared in court in January 2021.
He waited until the first day of his trial in November to finally admit what he had done – pleading guilty to three counts of blackmail, one of fraud, and one of controlling and coercive behaviour.
Appearing at Nottingham Crown Court today (Tuesday), he was jailed for five-and-a-half years.
He was also handed restraining orders banning him from contacting his victims again.
Work is also ongoing to recover the money he stole from his victims.
Detective Constable Mary Jones, of Nottinghamshire Police, led the investigation. She said: “I am delighted on behalf of all his victims that Saxby has finally been exposed for what he truly is – a devious and dishonest conman who sought to exploit and humiliate a series of wholly innocent women in one of the most appalling ways imaginable.
“The impact his behaviour and the subsequent police investigation has had on them has been extremely damaging and I am grateful to them for the bravery and dignity they have shown throughout this process.
“Saxby thought he could bully and manipulate each of them with impunity, but in Nottinghamshire Police and the wider criminal justice system he finally came up against people he could not control.
The following organisations offer support to survivors of domestic abuse within Nottinghamshire.
To report domestic abuse to Nottinghamshire Police, please call the 101 non-emergency number or, in an emergency, always call 999.
For more information about Domestic Abuse please read our supporting survivors of domestic abuse page.
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Nottinghamshire Women’s Aid website
Nottinghamshire Women’s Aid provides an extensive range of services for women, young people and children.
Newark Women’s Aid provides safe accommodation, with associated support services, for women with or without children, who are living with or have experienced any form of physical, sexual, emotional, psychological or economic abuse. Tel: 01636 679687
The UK’s only registered charity arranging Non-Molestation Orders, Prohibited Steps Orders & Occupation Orders
Men’s Advice Line is a confidential helpline for male victims of domestic violence and abuse.
It offers emotional support, practical advice and information on a wide range of services for further help and support.
Juno’s 24-hour domestic and sexual violence helpline offers support to women, teenage girls and children who have been affected by domestic or sexual abuse.
Tel: 0808 800 0340
Email: enquiries@junowomensaid.org.uk
Deaf and hearing-impaired women can access the Helpline by:
Text Relay/NGT: 18001 0808 800 0340 24 hours a day
Email: helpline@junowomensaid.org.uk daily, 9am – 9pm
Equation: Domestic abuse support for men
Equation provide a free helpline for men which is available Monday to Friday between 9.30am and 4.30pm.
A 24/7 confidential answerphone service is also available.
Call: 0115 960 5556
Email: helpline@equation.org.uk
Nottinghamshire Alliance Against Violence
Make a stand against violence. ‘Like’ our Alliance Against Violence Facebook page
Nottinghamshire Independent Domestic Abuse Service website
NIDAS is a registered charity, formerly known as Mansfield and Ashfield Women’s Aid.
Its aim is to help people experiencing domestic abuse.
They work hard with other agencies to raise awareness of domestic abus
Karma Nirvana is a registered charity that supports victims and survivors of forced marriage and honour-based abuse.
A free to download app providing support and information to those affected by Domestic Abuse, available in 5 languages, has a unique directory of support services and links of further resources including a journal which you can record incidents.
Safeguarding people- a simple shake or tap activates Hollie guard, immediately notifying your chosen contacts, pinpointing your location and sending audio and video evidence directly to their mobile phones.
Broxtowe Women’s Project (BWP)
BWP are here to help women living in the Borough of Broxtowe who are experiencing domestic abuse.We provide a confidential helpline, outreach service, training courses and drop in sessions, all aimed at empowering women and to help them survive domestic abuse.
Find out more about our services below.
Call us if you need our help on 01773 719 111 or email enquiries@broxtowewp.org
