Nicholas Joseph Hyde slammed by a magistrate for sending explicit images and videos to ex-partner's boyfriend

A Rockingham man who was declared a serial family violence offender after sending explicit videos and images of his ex-partner and himself to her new partner has been told by a magistrate to “put the phone in a microwave and blow it up”. Nicholas Joseph Hyde told Rockingham Magistrates Court he didn’t have “a filter between my brain and my mouth” when he was convicted of the revenge porn plot on Wednesday. The 40-year-old appeared via video link and admitted aggravated stalking, distributing an intimate image of another person without consent and breaching a family violence restraining order. Hyde was subject to a family violence restraining order protecting his former partner and their son, with terms that included no contact by any means and not to distribute any intimate content. Police prosecutor Sen. Const. Jessica Anderson made an application the court to declare Hyde a serial family violence offender after 12 prior breaches to the order as well as this latest incident. Sen. Const. Anderson told the court that on January 1, about 8am, the victim discovered nine missed calls, 14 messages, four video calls, plus several videos of her performing sexual acts with Hyde on her new partner’s phone. Hyde was later arrested, telling police his phone had been stolen and denying it was him trying to contact the victim. Magistrate Linda Keane told Hyde the offences were extremely serious and advised him to seek legal representation. Hyde declined, saying he intended to return to the UK once the matter was resolved to see his mother and that he wanted to proceed with sentencing. “She’s (his former partner) keeping my son from me and I don’t have the money to get a lawyer for the Family Court . . . I still love her but I know that I can’t contact her and I just want this all behind me,” he said. Ms Keane said she wanted to give him an opportunity to read the pre-sentence report, as it wasn’t a “particularly positive report” and “minimised the behaviour” with very little acceptance for the offending, but he declined, citing anxiety. He told the court he had found what he thought was the victim’s phone number from listings on Facebook Marketplace, not realising it was the victim’s new partner’s phone number. When Ms Keane asked him why he sent the graphic images and videos, he said, “I don’t have a filter between my brain and my mouth . . . it was around Christmas time and I just missed her and my son.” “They were happy memories,” he said. Ms Keane questioned this, asking, “Her performing fellatios on you were happy memories?” He responded, “Yes, your honour, they were our happy times . . . it was a weird and drug-fuelled relationship.” Ms Keane said his behaviour was “appalling” and “outrageous”. “She has every right to keep your son away to protect him. With this behaviour you will not be able to see your son,” she said. “Every woman in this courtroom can empathise and understand the fear that she would be feeling about someone she loved weaponising intimate videos against them. “I am not saying that this doesn’t happen to men, but when it involves women it is something that tends to have more of an impact.” The magistrate was shocked when Hyde then said: “Yes, your honour, I will get rid of those videos.” “Oh my goodness, Mr Hyde, put the phone in a microwave and blow it up!” she said. “Why are they not already deleted?” Ms Keane told Hyde that if he is subject to a restraining order of any kind he is not to reach out as long as it remains in place. “Reaching out to someone that has a restraining order against you and seeing your name and phone number can cause them extreme stress and anxiety,” she said. “I accept that you have expressed some genuine remorse at this time.” He was sentenced to a prison term of 18 months with eligibility for parole and declared a serial family violence offender. 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732)