A senior lawyer at Belfast firm Carson McDowell has said the creation of a specific offence for revenge porn could encourage victims to seek legal recourse.

The Northern Ireland Assembly’s Justice Committee has proposed amending the Justice (No. 2) Bill to add provisions relating to the disclosure of private sexual photographs and films with intent to cause distress.

A person guilty of the proposed new offence would be liable to a fine or imprisonment for a term of up to two years.

The bill is to be debated by MLAs at the consideration stage today.

Olivia O’Kane, a media lawyer at Carson McDowell, said: “Although a statutory legal framework already exists in NI to prosecute these type of offences, creating a specific offence brings clarity and transparency to the law which will hopefully encourage victims to come forward to seek help.

“It will also send a clear message to potential perpetrators that this type of criminal behaviour will not be tolerated and the attackers will face protection in Northern Ireland’s criminal justice system.

“It provides transparency and would act as a deterrent and warning to potential attackers.

“Any piece of legislation which provides clarity and a greater understanding for police officers, prosecutors and the public to know and understand what they should be looking for when investigating these crimes can only be a positive change.”

She added: “This offence is a much wider problem than just between ex-partners – it also involves trolls who commit the offence by spreading these images about people they don’t even know – often to cause embarrassment or to make money. There are illegal websites making a profit out of the use of these criminal images.”