A former BBC Young Composer of the Year was given a suspended sentence for stealing clothed images of women from social media and uploading them to pornographic sites without their permission.

Alexander Woolf, a Cambridgeshire composer and Cambridge graduate, downloaded pictures of 15 victims from social media.

He then posted them on pornographic sites and social media threads with sexually explicit and derogatory comments.

None of the pictures were pornographic or indecent, but he asked users to Photoshop his victims’ heads onto pornographic actresses’ bodies, which were then posted on adult websites.

One of Woolf’s victims was alerted to the posts in January 2021 by an anonymous email.

It warned her that her picture was found on social media site Reddit and, then in March, on a pornographic website without her consent.

The anonymous user suggested that the person who had posted the material was Woolf.

The victim then found other pictures posted by Woolf and alerted other victims, who felt very distressed by seeing their images.

The victims said Woolf’s actions have caused significant upset, distress and suffering.

Varinder Hayre, District Crown Prosecutor at the CPS, said: “Woolf’s behaviour is severely depraved and reprehensible and has had a drastic impact on his victims.

“We will always look to prosecute the sexual exploitation of victims and this prosecution is a clear message that this morally repugnant action will not be tolerated.

“I am especially pleased that Woolf has to delete all these pictures from his devices and will not be able to contact his victims ever again.”

Ely Standard: Woolf won the BBC Young Composer competition in 2012. The BBC has taken down his work from their website.Woolf won the BBC Young Composer competition in 2012. The BBC has taken down his work from their website. (Image: Archant)

Woolf of Cox's End in Over, Cambridgeshire, admitted 15 charges of sending by means of a public electronic communications network messages that were grossly offensive or of an indecent, obscene or menacing nature.

He was given 20 weeks imprisonment, suspended for two years, at Thames Magistrates’ Court on August 16.

Woolf was also ordered to undertake a rehabilitation activity for 40 days, 40 sessions of a court-accredited sexual offending programme and 150 hours of unpaid work.

In addition, Woolf has to pay each of his 15 victims £100 compensation.

Woolf won the BBC Young Composer competition in 2012.