Sextortion sting costs man more than $30,000

The sentence was handed down to Shynae Hinge-Black on Friday after previously pleading guilty to two counts of blackmail at the County Court in Ballarat.

Hinge-Black and the victim, a 62-year-old man, had started speaking to each other in 2021 after meeting through the website "sugardaddymeet.com".

The court heard the 62-year-old's wife had dementia, and as she was no longer sexually active due to her condition, told the man to seek out other women.

Hinge-Black and the man developed a "sexualised and playful" relationship through text messages, which included the sharing of intimate images with each other.

By agreement, on September 27, 2021, the man sent $500 to Hinge-Black for the purposes of buying lingerie, which she would take photos in and send to him.

The voluntary payment was the first in many to Hinge-Black, which would amount to $83,399 in total over six weeks.

Hinge-Black told the man of her personal circumstances, being a single mother with four children, and the man had sent her money to purchase items such as white goods, televisions, and groceries.

Judge John Smallwood said the blackmail began after the man realised Hinge-Black was only using him for money, and subsequently cut off all communications.

"This offending occurred after you already effectively fleeced a 62-year-old man of over $80,000," Judge Smallwood said.

Hinge-Black made several attempts to contact the man after being blocked, through various different social media channels, and using other people's phone numbers.

On November 17, 2021, Hinge-Black told the man via Instagram that she would share intimate images he had sent her to his daughter-in-law and friends unless he gave her more money.

The 62-year-old transferred $17,000 into Hinge-Black's bank account.

Between December 1 and 8, 2021, Hinge-Black again contacted the man with allegations of him attempting to solicit a relationship with a 14-year-old girl.

Messages supposedly showing this conduct were sent to the man, who noted the messages were ones he previously sent to Hinge-Black and made to look like they were sent to a 14-year-old named "Crystal".

Fearing further humiliation, the man sent Hinge-Black another $16,000, however soon after contacted the police.

Hinge-Black was arrested for the blackmail on March 16, 2022.

The court heard that two days prior to Hinge-Black committing the blackmail she had been placed on a community corrections order after pleading guilty to possession and trafficking of methamphetamine and GHB.

A victim impact statement read aloud to the court at an earlier plea hearing told of the 62-year-old victim's estrangement from his family as a result of the offending.

The man stated that he had spent the Christmas of 2021 alone, and had "seriously considered" taking his own life in the aftermath of the incident.

Judge Smallwood said Hinge-Black's early plea of guilty for the charges would afford her a sentencing discount, but still called a stand alone community corrections order "grossly inadequate".

Hinge-Black had a strong degree of disadvantage in her childhood, subject to early life trauma and drug addiction.

However, a psychological report lodged with the court disputed whether Hinge-Black had a specific post-traumatic stress disorder diagnosis.

Judge Smallwood called Hinge-Black's prospects of rehabilitation "problematic", dependent on whether or not she could stay off of drugs.

"This is a crime which is very serious, calculated and had dreadful consequences for the victim," Judge Smallwood said.

"No doubt you were aware of the criminality of what you were doing."

Hinge-Black was given a four month prison sentence and placed on a two year community corrections order.

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