A 21-YEAR-OLD man had been “stupid, foolish and immature” when he blackmailed a woman by demanding money not to put sexual images of her on the internet.

Kardir Ali was yesterday found not guilty by a jury at Bradford Crown Court of two charges of attempting to rape the woman. They cleared him unanimously after two hours of deliberation, following a three-day trial. He had denied the charges.

The prosecution alleged the offences took place when the defendant met the woman in a wooded area of Bradford.

But Ali, of Blenheim Mount, Manningham Lane, Bradford, told the jury the sexual activity between him and the woman had been consensual.

He had pleaded guilty to a charge of blackmail, after demanding £500 from the woman to stop him publishing videos and interviews of intimate acts between them. Ali told the jury he did not have any pictures of her and had made it up.

Sentencing Ali to 14 months imprisonment suspended for two years, and ordering him to carry out 200 hours of unpaid community work with a 20-day rehabilitation activity requirement, Judge Jonathan Durham Hall QC said: “I am absolutely satisfied on the evidence that you never had any photos and you never in fact wanted any money from her. You were a very foolish young man.”

The judge said Ali was intelligent, hardworking and of impeccable character. Judge Durham Hall said that one thing that came through from Ali’s evidence was “your utter shame and disgust and sadness about the stupid mistake that you made in trying to hurt her.”

The judge added: “This is blackmail because you demanded money, even though you never intended or expected to get any.”

He said it would be “utterly destructive” to send him to prison.

Judge Durham Hall said the rehabilitation activity requirement would address the defendant’s thinking. “People have to learn to be sensitive and mature.”

He said Ali had pleaded guilty to the charge of blackmail at the first opportunity.

The judge said the woman had been put through a trial for attempted rape which was avoidable and some would say the decision to prosecute was not in her interests.