Hartlepool man sent vile Instagram rape threats described by judge as ‘serious and unpleasant’

In one text John Edmundson, 21, said he would drag the victim into an alley and attack her and in another said “I can’t wait to see your fear in your eyes.”

The victim has an Instagram account and a YouTube channel with over 100,000 subscribers featuring her whispering to the camera to trigger something called ASMR in the viewer.

ASMR stands for autonomous sensory meridian response described as a relaxing, often sedative sensation that is also known as brain massage.

It is said to be triggered by placid sights and sounds such as whispers.

Edmundson sent the victim three obscene and menacing text messages to her Instagram account in September last year.

In the first he said: “Right, I’m tired of waiting near your house,” before messaging details on raping the woman.

He later sent another saying: “I can’t wait to see your fear in your eyes,” and again referencing raping the victim.

And on September 30, Edmundson, of Navigation Point, Hartlepool, sent an obscene video of a male performing a sex act while victim’s YouTube channel played in the background.

He pleaded guilty to sending an offensive, obscene or menacing message before Teesside Magistrates Court.

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The court heard the victim is subjected to online abuse on a weekly if not daily basis.

District Judge Timothy Capstick said: “Most of the time she’s simply able to ignore it or delete or block the accounts that are seeking to contact her.

"But what you did went way beyond that and I think you understand that now.”

It was said that life had not treated Edmundson as fairly as others and he has personal issues and difficulties to contend with.

But the judge said the offence was ‘serious and unpleasant’.

He added: “One can only imagine the amount of distress and upset that [behaviour] must have caused that particular lady.”

Edmundson was given a community order for 18 months and an indefinite restraining order.

He must also pay the victim £400 compensation and do up to 30 rehabilitation activity days.

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