'Obsessive' Snapchat hacker stole women's intimate images and 'traded them like football cards'

Lisa Hancox, prosecuting, explained that between 2019 and 2021 Piggott had hacked into women's social media accounts - predominantly Snapchat, with the intention of stealing intimate images and videos.

The court was told the charges related to six victims, who were all women he knew.

Ms Hancox described how after the images were hacked Piggott then shared them using a website where other people would discuss hacking, and share naked and intimate stolen pictures

The court was told that Piggott had created a dedicated section named 'Shrewsbury Girls' which contained the images.

Ms Hancox explained details of how Piggott had gone to great lengths to hack into the accounts of his victims, using Facebook as one of the methods to gain access.

The efforts also required hacking PINs for the accounts, with Ms Hancox explaining how Piggott secured the correct numbers.

The court was told that Piggott had also been visited at home by an officer from the National Crime Agency (NCA) in December 2020 before his arrest by local police.

They had warned him about being involved in hacking.

Piggott was then arrested in 2021 by local police who had become aware of an account sharing images of local women online, and traced the IP address to his home.

He admitted operating on the website under a username, and when asked about the images admitted he had "traded them like football cards".

An examination of his mobile phone showed he had made notes of the names of his victims, and "primarily targeted women he found attractive".

Ms Hancox told the court that despite being arrested Piggott went on to hack two further victims while on bail.

The court was read a series of distressing impact statements from the victims, who outlined the long-term impact of Piggott's crimes.

The women told how the offences had caused severe damage to their mental health, leaving them anxious about leaving the house, with one even attempting to take her own life.

They detailed how they had been forced to have uncomfortable and upsetting conversations with partners, family, friends and employers.

Ms Hancox read the account of one victim who explained how she found her pictures were being shared in local groups from a friend.

She said: "I would see people and wonder if they have seen nude images of me."

One woman had been told of the traumatising effect of having to sit down with her younger sisters to explain and warn them about protecting themselves in future.

Others detailed how the crimes had left them paranoid about men, their partners, or people on the street.

One said: "The main emotion I feel is embarrassment. I should not have to feel embarrassed but I do."

She also spoke of the harrowing impact of being shown the images by police to confirm they were of her.

She said: "While this is no fault of the police, the whole process was mortifying."

Another woman explained that after her images had been put on the internet she was subject to "numerous disgusting approaches from men online".

She said those had been followed by abusive messages, while her phone had been called by anonymous numbers.

She said: "I was desperately nervous about how widespread this was."

She added: "They have not just stolen my images and identity, they stole my sense of self worth."

Kevin Jones, representing Piggott, said the 35-year-old had no previous convictions, had pleaded guilty at the first opportunity, and had made full admissions to police.

He added that he had been diagnosed as being on the autism spectrum and there had been a significant delay in the case coming to court.

He urged the judge to suspend any sentence, and said Piggott was prepared to use his savings to pay compensation to his victims.

Sentencing Judge Peter Barrie said: "You undertook a pattern of behaviour over a period of about two years, which must have involved considerable hard work and skill.

"Using your background knowledge of the internet, using detective skills to gain access to private material - password-protected material, and you did that partly for your own sexual gratification, partly as a member of a community of like-minded and thoroughly depraved people who would trade images of this kind for their own pleasure."

Judge Barrie said Piggott had carried on after the visit from the NCA and following his arrest, indicating the 'obsessive' nature of the offences.

He said that the victims had "each suffered greatly".

But he added that due to a number of factors, including the co-operation with the police, the lack of previous offences, the delay and the early guilty pleas, he was prepared to suspend the sentence.

Piggott was sentenced to 10 months in prison, suspended for 18 months.

As part of the suspended sentence he will also have to complete 10 rehabilitation activity days and 80 hours of unpaid work, and will be subject to a 12-week curfew from 7pm to 7am.

He was also made the subject of a Criminal Behaviour Order, to last five years.