This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . The next check for changes will be
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cn41p1rzxllo
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
Version 1 | Version 2 |
---|---|
Worcestershire musician felt ignored by police after she was cyberflashed | Worcestershire musician felt ignored by police after she was cyberflashed |
(32 minutes later) | |
Anna Downes said West Mercia Police made her feel she was a nuisance for reporting the crime | Anna Downes said West Mercia Police made her feel she was a nuisance for reporting the crime |
A musician said she was ignored by her local police force and made to feel "a nuisance" after she was sent pornographic images and videos by a man she had met once at work. | A musician said she was ignored by her local police force and made to feel "a nuisance" after she was sent pornographic images and videos by a man she had met once at work. |
Anna Downes, who waived her right to anonymity, said cyberflashing needed to be taken more seriously and she felt forced to investigate the crime herself. | Anna Downes, who waived her right to anonymity, said cyberflashing needed to be taken more seriously and she felt forced to investigate the crime herself. |
She reported it to West Mercia Police in September but it took nearly half a year for Ben Gunnery to be arrested, convicted and given a two-year community order. | She reported it to West Mercia Police in September but it took nearly half a year for Ben Gunnery to be arrested, convicted and given a two-year community order. |
A spokesperson for the force said it had apologised to Ms Downes for the time it took to transfer her case to the Metropolitan Police. | A spokesperson for the force said it had apologised to Ms Downes for the time it took to transfer her case to the Metropolitan Police. |
The professional violinist and teacher, from Worcestershire, met Gunnery, a fellow musician, once in 2024 when they played at the same concert. | The professional violinist and teacher, from Worcestershire, met Gunnery, a fellow musician, once in 2024 when they played at the same concert. |
"I [then] started to get a bunch of messages that had been deleted. Ten of them at once, sent late at night," she said. | "I [then] started to get a bunch of messages that had been deleted. Ten of them at once, sent late at night," she said. |
"Then the next morning he'd message saying 'oops, sorry, smashed'." | "Then the next morning he'd message saying 'oops, sorry, smashed'." |
Ms Downes said she was determined to speak out to encourage others to come forward and get justice | Ms Downes said she was determined to speak out to encourage others to come forward and get justice |
Then she received explicit and indecent photos and videos showing him naked. | Then she received explicit and indecent photos and videos showing him naked. |
"I was just stunned and felt horrified and violated," she said. | "I was just stunned and felt horrified and violated," she said. |
"I had quite a long period of time where I would struggle to get to sleep at night and every time I shut my eyes, I would be faced with these images again. | "I had quite a long period of time where I would struggle to get to sleep at night and every time I shut my eyes, I would be faced with these images again. |
Gunnery, 45, from Vauxhall, south west London, performed music for films, toured the world and, at the time of his offence, was teaching children and adults. | Gunnery, 45, from Vauxhall, south west London, performed music for films, toured the world and, at the time of his offence, was teaching children and adults. |
Ms Downes immediately blocked him and reported what had happened to West Mercia Police. | Ms Downes immediately blocked him and reported what had happened to West Mercia Police. |
She sent the force the images and links to his social media, website and work address and also reported it to the Musicians' Union. | She sent the force the images and links to his social media, website and work address and also reported it to the Musicians' Union. |
"I thought, from everything I'd read in the media, that it would be taken seriously and dealt with," she said. | "I thought, from everything I'd read in the media, that it would be taken seriously and dealt with," she said. |
Ben Gunnery was found guilty at a trial in May | Ben Gunnery was found guilty at a trial in May |
Ms Downes' statement was taken and she was told the case would most likely be passed to the Metropolitan Police as the man lived in London. | Ms Downes' statement was taken and she was told the case would most likely be passed to the Metropolitan Police as the man lived in London. |
For several months there appeared to be no progress. | For several months there appeared to be no progress. |
From September to January, she got in touch with West Mercia Police more than 20 times. | From September to January, she got in touch with West Mercia Police more than 20 times. |
They told her the Met would not accept the case as they were not able to find the man's home address. | They told her the Met would not accept the case as they were not able to find the man's home address. |
That confused Ms Downes as West Mercia Police had told her they knew where he lived. | That confused Ms Downes as West Mercia Police had told her they knew where he lived. |
"It just made me more and more resentful and less hopeful that anything would come of it really," she said. | "It just made me more and more resentful and less hopeful that anything would come of it really," she said. |
In January, she contacted the BBC. | In January, she contacted the BBC. |
We then got in touch with both forces and, within two weeks, West Mercia Police had transferred the case to the Met. | We then got in touch with both forces and, within two weeks, West Mercia Police had transferred the case to the Met. |
Within a week, Gunnery was arrested, charged and appeared in court. | Within a week, Gunnery was arrested, charged and appeared in court. |
In a trial in May, he was found guilty of intentionally sending the images to cause alarm, distress and humiliation. | In a trial in May, he was found guilty of intentionally sending the images to cause alarm, distress and humiliation. |
The 45-year-old told the court he had struggled with a cocaine addiction for four years, he could not remember messaging her and he had meant to send the images to his partner. | The 45-year-old told the court he had struggled with a cocaine addiction for four years, he could not remember messaging her and he had meant to send the images to his partner. |
The court heard he had been previously convicted of a similar offence in 2023 when he had twice sent indecent and offensive images to a woman he had met through work. | The court heard he had been previously convicted of a similar offence in 2023 when he had twice sent indecent and offensive images to a woman he had met through work. |
On Tuesday, Gunnery was given a two-year community order including 150 hours of unpaid work and Judge Nermine Abdel Sayed told him he would be sent to prison if he reoffended. | On Tuesday, Gunnery was given a two-year community order including 150 hours of unpaid work and Judge Nermine Abdel Sayed told him he would be sent to prison if he reoffended. |
The judge said he should have known the impact his actions would have and that his victim now feels "like she has to constantly look over her shoulder". | The judge said he should have known the impact his actions would have and that his victim now feels "like she has to constantly look over her shoulder". |
Gunnery was given a community order at his sentencing hearing on Tuesday | Gunnery was given a community order at his sentencing hearing on Tuesday |
Cyberflashing, when offenders send unsolicited explicit images to people via an online platform, such as messaging applications and social media, became a crime in the UK in January 2023. | Cyberflashing, when offenders send unsolicited explicit images to people via an online platform, such as messaging applications and social media, became a crime in the UK in January 2023. |
A YouGov poll found four in 10 women, aged 18 to 34, had received an unsolicited sexual photo from someone who was not a romantic partner. | A YouGov poll found four in 10 women, aged 18 to 34, had received an unsolicited sexual photo from someone who was not a romantic partner. |
Ms Downes said she chose to speak out to encourage others. | Ms Downes said she chose to speak out to encourage others. |
"It would be much easier for me to just become a statistic," she said. | "It would be much easier for me to just become a statistic," she said. |
"I've done nothing wrong. I was just doing my job. Ben Gunnery chose to send me pornographic images. I did nothing to encourage that behaviour. | "I've done nothing wrong. I was just doing my job. Ben Gunnery chose to send me pornographic images. I did nothing to encourage that behaviour. |
"Most men are not like this and this behaviour needs to be called out. It's not something that I want my sons to think is normal. | "Most men are not like this and this behaviour needs to be called out. It's not something that I want my sons to think is normal. |
"It's very easy to feel some element of shame and keep it to yourself. But right from the word go, I was determined I wasn't going to do that." | "It's very easy to feel some element of shame and keep it to yourself. But right from the word go, I was determined I wasn't going to do that." |
Ms Downes said she was inspired to keep pushing the police to investigate her complaints by the experience of BBC correspondent Lucy Manning. | Ms Downes said she was inspired to keep pushing the police to investigate her complaints by the experience of BBC correspondent Lucy Manning. |
Lucy received sexually explicit phone calls from a stranger but her case was dropped by the police and only reopened after a Victims' Right to Review was carried out. | Lucy received sexually explicit phone calls from a stranger but her case was dropped by the police and only reopened after a Victims' Right to Review was carried out. |
After hearing Lucy interviewed on BBC Radio 2's Jeremy Vine show, Ms Downes said she became more determined to get justice. | After hearing Lucy interviewed on BBC Radio 2's Jeremy Vine show, Ms Downes said she became more determined to get justice. |
West Mercia Police apologised for the delay taken by them in the investigation | West Mercia Police apologised for the delay taken by them in the investigation |
Ms Downes said her experience seemed at odds with the inquiry into Sarah Everard's killer Wayne Couzens, a police officer who abducted, raped and murdered her while off duty. | Ms Downes said her experience seemed at odds with the inquiry into Sarah Everard's killer Wayne Couzens, a police officer who abducted, raped and murdered her while off duty. |
The government accepted the inquiry's recommendations that there should be a fundamental review of how indecent exposure was treated. | The government accepted the inquiry's recommendations that there should be a fundamental review of how indecent exposure was treated. |
But Ms Downes said she felt her case was not a priority for West Mercia Police. | But Ms Downes said she felt her case was not a priority for West Mercia Police. |
"I feel that they're fobbing me off really. I've reported this crime. It is the police's job to investigate it," she said. | "I feel that they're fobbing me off really. I've reported this crime. It is the police's job to investigate it," she said. |
"As the victim, I want to know that my crime is dealt with quickly and with results. | "As the victim, I want to know that my crime is dealt with quickly and with results. |
"I felt gaslit by West Mercia Police. I felt ignored and they made me feel like I was a nuisance." | "I felt gaslit by West Mercia Police. I felt ignored and they made me feel like I was a nuisance." |
A spokesperson for the force said they understood her frustrations over the delay in their investigation, had apologised and given her a "full explanation". | A spokesperson for the force said they understood her frustrations over the delay in their investigation, had apologised and given her a "full explanation". |
An internal review concluded West Mercia's service was "acceptable" and officers complied with policy while the crime was being transferred to another force. | An internal review concluded West Mercia's service was "acceptable" and officers complied with policy while the crime was being transferred to another force. |
The Met's spokesperson told us they regret "any distress caused by this delay" and admitted there were delays in confirming the man's address. | The Met's spokesperson told us they regret "any distress caused by this delay" and admitted there were delays in confirming the man's address. |
A Wandsworth Council spokesperson said Gunnery was suspended from his teaching role and would not be employed by the college again. | A Wandsworth Council spokesperson said Gunnery was suspended from his teaching role and would not be employed by the college again. |
Follow BBC Hereford & Worcester on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram. | Follow BBC Hereford & Worcester on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram. |
Get our flagship newsletter with all the headlines you need to start the day. Sign up here. |