An Ashford woman was a victim of “revenge porn” – after a bust-up with a “vindictive and cruel” ex-lover, a court heard.

Aaron Henderson, 39, posted a sex image of a former girlfriend as his Whatsapp profile picture. He then sent her a message which read: “Hey, honey look at my picture."

He also bombarded her with hundreds of texts and phone calls.

And, astonishingly, even when the bullying Aaron Henderson was arrested he demanded his one telephone call. But he then tricked officers into allowing him to call the terrified victim from the police station.

“You set upon a deliberate course to humiliate and harass her. This was vindictive and cruel” - Judge Simon James

Prosecutor Claire Cooper told Canterbury Crown Court how the victim had been staying with a friend in March this year when Henderson arrived. During an argument he grabbed her hair. She cut her knee and her clothes were ripped.

Henderson, who has been staying at an address in Kenward Road, Yalding, pleaded guilty to assault by beating, harassment and sending an intimate picture of her out of revenge and threatening to send more to others.

Ms Cooper added: “After admitting the beating, Henderson was released by magistrates on bail and told not to contact her.

“That was the exact opposite of what happened when, instead, he began harassing her. There were repeated – about 280 telephone calls – from him to her.

“It didn’t stop there, he would turn up uninvited and message and text her friends. He also used social media to bombard her with harassment.

He turned up at her home at 5am after getting in through a window and called her workplace.

Henderson has 35 previous convictions for 70 offences, of which 15 were for violence.

Judge Simon James asked the Crown Prosecution Service for details of Henderson’s previous convictions in 2008 but was told there were none as similar offences had been carried out in London.

The judge said: “I find it astonishing. Is this really the Brave New World when a man commits an offence in London and Kent police can’t find out the details because it's out of county?”

In jailing him for 20 months, the judge told Henderson he hadn’t been trying to rekindle a dying relationship as he had claimed.

Judge Simon James: “You set upon a deliberate course to humiliate and harass her. This was vindictive and cruel. This was done out of spite and revenge.”

The judge also ordered him to stay away from his former partner for five years.