Paige Mitchell, 24, (pictured) who posted naked photographs of her girlfriend online after an argument was the first woman in the UK to be sentenced for revenge porn

A woman who posted naked photographs of her girlfriend online because she thought she was looking at other women has today become the first in the UK to be sentenced for revenge porn.

Paige Mitchell, 24, was handed a six-week suspended jail term at Stevenage Magistrates' Court after she admitted posting the four sexually explicit images of her girlfriend Rebecca Brinkley on her own Facebook page.

Mitchell, from Stevenage, said she had uploaded the images after the row, which was sparked when Ms Brinkley accused her of looking at other women.

Sentencing her, chairman of the bench Bette Hindmarsh said: 'Posting the photos on the internet was a highly vindictive invasion of privacy.

'It was done with the intention of humiliating and hurting your victim.'

Mitchell pleaded guilty to one count of assault by beating, and one of disclosing private sexual photographs and films with intent to cause distress.

The latter has only been a criminal offence since the new revenge porn laws were introduced in April. So far, around a dozen men have been convicted under the legislation in England.

Mitchell said the images were sent to her by her partner during their relationship, which had begun 14 months before the fight.

She posted four of them on Facebook after the argument, captioning them with insults, but removed them when her mother told her it was against the law, the court heard. The images had been online for half an hour.

Tariq Iqbal, mitigating, said Mitchell and the victim later reconciled their differences and had continued their relationship.

However, Mitchell appeared to call time on the romance from the dock by inviting the court to issue her with a restraining order that would force them to split for good.

Victim: Paige Mitchell was found guilty of posting sexually-explicit pictures of her girlfriend Rebecca Brinkley (pictured) online after a row, sparked because Ms Brinkley accused her of looking at other women

The images had been online for half an hour when Mitchell's mother told her to remove them from Facebook because it was against the law, the court heard

Mitchell pleaded guilty to one count of assault by beating, and one of disclosing private sexual photographs and films with intent to cause distress when she appeared at Stevenage Crown Court (pictured)

In a witness statement, the victim - whose one-year-old child was sleeping during the argument at Mitchell's home on May 12 - said the incident 'made me feel embarrassed, embarrassed to walk down the street'.

She said: 'People who I didn't want to see my body have seen me (naked). I don't want to feel like that.'

Mitchell was handed a six-week sentence for revenge porn, and a two-week sentence for common assault, to run concurrently. They were suspended for 18 months.

She was also ordered to pay £345 in costs.

Mr Iqbal said his client needed help with her anger management, and that the Facebook post was an indication of her naivety.

He said: 'It was a silly thing to do, but I think it was in the heat of the moment. Emotions can be dangerous some times.'

Mitchell, 24, (pictured with a male friend) was handed a six-week suspended jail term at Stevenage Magistrates' Court after she admitted posting the four sexually explicit images on her Facebook page

Mitchell made no comment as she ran from the court building at the end of the sentence hearing, wearing a hood over her face, flanked by two friends.

A CPS spokesman said: 'Mitchell is believed to be the first female to be prosecuted for revenge pornography under the new legislation which makes it an offence to disclose private sexual photographs and films without the consent of the individual who appears in them and with the intent to cause that individual distress.

'At an earlier hearing Mitchell admitted attacking the victim during an argument. She then went on to post explicit photos of the victim on to her Facebook profile later that day.

'Mitchell went on to caption the pictures with humiliating insults and even referenced the assault.'

Joanna Coleman, Deputy Chief Crown Prosecutor for CPS Thames and Chiltern added: 'These vengeful crimes are predominantly thought of as being carried out by men. This sentencing will highlight that anyone can be guilty of this offence and regardless of the defendant's gender, once reported, it will be taken seriously.

'Crimes where an intimate image of an individual is shared without their permission in such a public forum is invasive, humiliating and distressing for the victim and leaves them feeling violated.

'It can have a huge impact on the victim and I am pleased that more people are having the confidence to come forward and report these crimes.'