borrowed cell phone
The Alicante unit of the Technological Crimes Group, part of the Provincial Judicial Police Brigade, opened an inquiry after an 18-year-old complained in mid-July that intimate photos of her had circulated without consent. The images, taken when she was younger, appeared to belong to several acquaintances who had access to them, and they had not been shared by the owner of the device.
Investigators gathered evidence to identify who distributed the photos and how they obtained them. The probe traced a gathering at a friend’s home where the victim had spent the night with several acquaintances days before the complaint.
borrowed cell phone
During that night, an acquaintance who was dating a friend claimed his phone needed a charge and asked to borrow it to make an urgent call. The young man went to the bathroom to place the call and lingered there for several minutes, raising suspicion about what he might be viewing on the device. On returning to the room, nothing appeared out of place, yet the unease persisted.
The following day, the complainant learned that several sexually explicit photos had been sent to a group of recipients. A friend reported that the person responsible was an acquaintance who had borrowed the phone the previous day.
Authorities concluded that the suspect took advantage of the victim’s trust and the unlocked state of the phone to access various files and photos. Up to 21 private images were later sent to the suspect’s own phone, images that had been captured when the girl was younger.
Within hours after the unauthorized call, some of the images were shared in a messaging group, prompting investigators to detain the 19-year-old Spaniard on suspicion of privacy offenses. He appeared before the Alicante duty court as the suspect in this case.
Police warnings against “sexting”
In response to such cases, the National Police emphasizes a cautionary message: a person should never share private material, not even to report a problem, and doing so can constitute a crime. The message stresses the importance of discretion and consent at all times.
Officers advise victims to collect as much evidence as possible and to contact the National Police promptly. Timely reporting helps preserve proof and supports the investigation.
Source: National Police.