Dubai: A swimming instructor has been jailed for six months for attempting to force his ex-girlfriend into marriage after blackmailing her with photos that he took of her during their seven-month affair.

The 34-year-old Sri Lankan instructor, A.P., had an affair with the 23-year-old Indian woman, during which he took pictures of her in compromising positions.

The defendant blackmailed the woman and tried to coerce her to marry him after threatening to show her photos to her family.

Records said the defendant posted the photos on her uncle’s Facebook timeline and sent them to her sister on WhatsApp.

The Dubai Court of First Instance convicted the Sri Lankan of blackmail and threatening to publish the woman’s nude photos against financial gain.

The woman testified in court that she paid A.P. Dh2,000 and, when she failed to pay him more, he sent the photos to her uncle and sister.

Presiding judge Ezzat Abdul Lat said the defendant will be deported following the completion of his jail term.

The woman’s photos will be seized by the court, said the judge in courtroom three on Monday.

Court records said when the Indian woman lodged a police complaint against the man, both of them were taken into custody for having consensual sex.

Prosecutors accused A.P. of threatening to dishonour the woman and trying to obtain money from her under duress.

The woman admitted to prosecutors that she had had an affair with the swimming instructor.

“He used his iPhone to take naked photos of me. Once I broke up with him, he sent the photos to my uncle on Facebook. He did so to make it seem like I wanted to marry him … I had earlier informed him that if he did not break up with me, I would tell my uncle to complain to the police. Later, he sent the photos to my sister on WhatsApp. He demanded Dh10,000 for erasing the photos and not informing my family. I paid him Dh2,000 but when I failed to pay the balance, he sent the pictures to my uncle and sister,” she said.

Prosecution records said the defendant took seven pictures of the woman.

When questioned by prosecutors, A.P. admitted that he sent the pictures to the woman’s uncle.

The couple are standing trial before the Dubai Misdemeanours Court for having consensual sex.

Monday’s ruling remains subject to appeal within 15 days.