Man hacked woman's Facebook and Snapchat accounts to steal photos

An investigation found the woman's photos and indecent images of children on Partington's devices, police said

A man who "used technology as a weapon" to hack into a woman's social media accounts and steal private images has been jailed, police have said.

Cumbria Police said Sam Partington, 30, of Cecil Street, Lytham, locked the woman out of her Facebook and Snapchat accounts and made copies of images.

A subsequent investigation found the pictures and indecent images of children on Partington's devices.

He was jailed for 29 months at Preston Crown Court.

The force said Partington hacked into the woman's profiles and "changed login details to prevent the victim from accessing her own accounts".

"He also stole private images of the victim from her Snapchat account and stored copies of these on his own device," a representative said.

"Upon examination, [his] devices were also found to contain indecent images of children."

Partington was jailed for making indecent images of children and a number of offences under the Computer Misuse Act and the Data Protection Act.

He was also handed a 10-year restraining order.

Speaking after sentencing, Det Con Jon Hill said Partington had "used technology as a weapon to exert control".

He said society's "growing reliance upon technology" meant similar cases were "becoming more prevalent".

He added that the result of the case sent "a clear message to victims and would-be offenders that... the police will use all powers at our disposal to bring offenders to justice".