A man from Blackpool has been jailed for five years after obtaining £22,000 through blackmail.
Gavin Chesworth forced his victim to pay him money for more than a year.
The blackmail involved a club membership, with Chesworth threatening to tell the victim’s employers that a fraud had taken in place.
In fact, the victim had done nothing wrong, but Chesworth demanded money and bank transfer payments were made by the victim to him between November 2021 and December 2022.
The blackmail had a major effect on the victim, which he detailed in his Victim Personal Statement presented to the court.
He said: “Being blackmailed has had a devastating effect on me in so many ways, emotionally, financially and psychologically.
“In total I paid the blackmailer over 40 times, paying him £22,060.
“Being blackmailed made me very anxious, frightened and intimidated. When I started receiving threatening calls and threatening abusive letters, I feared for my own safety.
“I never knew when the blackmailer would turn up at work and I became more withdrawn, depressed and had negative thoughts, but I still felt unable to tell anyone.”
He continued: “I still feel powerless and vulnerable and also angry at having all my hard-earned savings stolen.
“I feel guilty for the distress it has caused my family.”
Chesworth, 44, of Levine Avenue, Blackpool, appeared for sentence at Preston Crown Court Sessions House.
He pleaded guilty to a charge of blackmail and was given a five-year sentence by Judge Graham Knowles KC.
Det Con Stu Kane of Lancashire Police, said: “Gavin Chesworth blackmailed a vulnerable victim out of a large amount of money for more than a year.
“His actions had a devastating effect on the victim, and I welcome the prison sentence which the judge imposed.
“If you are being blackmailed or forced into handing over money against your will, please report it to police and we will thoroughly investigate.”
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