Lincolnshire soldier given suspended sentence for sharing intimate images

Lincolnshire soldier given suspended sentence for sharing intimate images A serving soldier from the Sleaford area has been given a suspended prison sentence after admitting offences of sharing intimate images and harassing a woman. Lincoln Magistrates' Court heard that Charley Marshall, 20, of the Sleaford area, is a serving member of the Grenadier Guards. Magistrates sentenced him to 16 weeks in prison, suspended for 12 months, after he pleaded guilty to two offences at an earlier hearing in January. The court was told that Marshall shared intimate images of a woman on 16 July 2025. He also admitted harassing the same woman over a period of more than three months, between 15 March and 26 June 2025. The offences were dealt with in the civilian courts, despite Marshall's role as a serving soldier being noted during the proceedings. The hearing concluded at Lincoln Magistrates' Court, where magistrates imposed a sentence that included the suspended custodial term, unpaid work and a restraining order. Marshall had admitted sharing photographs or film of a person in an intimate state with the intention of causing alarm, distress or humiliation. He also pleaded guilty to harassment without violence. Because of those guilty pleas, the case did not proceed to a trial. As part of the sentence, magistrates ordered Marshall to complete 150 hours of unpaid work. They also imposed a restraining order banning him from contacting the victim. A suspended sentence means a prison term does not take immediate effect unless the offender commits another offence or breaches the court's requirements during the operational period. In this case, the 16-week prison sentence was suspended for 12 months. If Marshall commits a further offence or fails to comply with the terms of the sentence during that period, he could be ordered to serve the custodial term. The restraining order is intended to protect the woman involved in the case by preventing any contact from Marshall. The unpaid work requirement forms part of the community element of the sentence imposed by the court. Magistrates heard that the harassment took place over several months before the intimate images were shared in July. The case was then brought before the court, where Marshall admitted both offences. No further details about the woman have been reported in order to protect her privacy. The case was heard in open court at Lincoln Magistrates' Court. The sentence means Marshall will remain in the community for now, provided he complies with the court order and does not commit any further offences during the 12-month suspension period. The combination of a suspended prison sentence, unpaid work and a restraining order reflects the seriousness of the offending, while also setting conditions that must be followed.