A sex worker and her husband have been jailed for a blackmail scheme in which they threatened to expose her clients to their partners unless they paid money.
Leanne Potter-Williamson, 39, and Daniel Williamson, 40, turned to blackmail after falling into financial trouble. Potter-Williamson met men online through adult services, and the couple then sent threatening messages demanding payment to keep encounters secret.
Daniel Williamson admitted 10 counts of blackmail involving different victims and was sentenced to seven years and four months. Potter-Williamson admitted three counts and received three years and one month.
Messages sent by the couple warned victims that their partners would be told, with some men paying out of fear. The judge said Williamson led the scheme, but Potter-Williamson was an “enthusiastic collaborator.”
The court heard that gambling debts and substance use contributed to the pair’s financial issues. The judge said they deliberately set out to “terrify” victims for profit, despite the clients having done nothing illegal.