'Panic attack' delays sentencing of revenge porn man

A PANIC attack delayed the sentencing of a Ringwood man who breached a suspended sentence order he was given for a “revenge porn” incident.

Adam Bruce was set to learn his fate at Southampton Crown Court on Monday but experienced a “medical episode” as the phone link system was being set up.

Judge Christopher Parker explained Bruce had “a panic attack”, so decided to delay the sentencing until 30th July at the same court. In the meantime the probation service will prepare a report.

However, he warned Bruce’s defence barrister, Chris Gaiger, that his client faced going to prison.

“I want to make it absolutely clear the fact that I’m ordering a report by no means is an indication of the likely outcome,” Judge Parker said.

“He breached a suspended sentence within a matter of months of that order being made,” he said, adding Judge Nicholas Rowland will preside over the next hearing.

Bruce (28), of East View Road, appeared before the court having admitted breaching a restraining order he was given as part of a two-year suspended sentence order in January.

The punishment had been imposed after Bruce admitted stalking a woman – who the A&T has decided not to name – and disclosing a private sexual image of her without her consent after she ended their affair.

That hearing was told the woman had an open marriage Bruce was invited into, but after she broke off the relationship the defendant posted a naked picture of his ex-lover on her husband’s Facebook page, sent her “racist messages” and poured paint over her car.

Bruce, the court heard, took action having “emotionally unravelled” because he believed he could have been the father of a baby the woman had terminated.

He also told police he had fallen in love with her and had his heart broken.