Ethan Henshaw is pictured outside court on Thursday
A woman whose ex-boyfriend threatened to send nudes and sex videos to her friends and family after she exposed his affair with another woman has spoken out about his months-long campaign of harassment.
Ethan Henshaw, 31, pleaded guilty in Sydney’s Downing Center Local Court on Thursday to threatening to distribute an intimate image without consent and multiple breaches of a detained violence (domestic violence) order.
Court documents revealed that he and his ex-partner, who cannot be named for legal reasons, ended their eight-year relationship in August 2023, but the situation took a dark turn two months later when she received a call from her acquaintance.
During that call he confirmed the acquaintance’s suspicion that Henshaw, who lives in Boolaroo, near Newcastle, and works as a car wholesaler, had been sleeping with his girlfriend.
Henshaw was furious with her for revealing the affair, sending her 12 photos and videos showing her performing sexual acts and telling the acquaintance that he “may or may not send the images to his family and friends.”
She went to the police before he was arrested, charged and taken into police custody, before he was released on conditional bail on a $2,000 bond and given an AVO, which he breached a month later by sending her emails and Snapchat messages under the name ‘Bingus’.
Henshaw had appeared in court in person on Thursday, wearing a navy suit and a new haircut, but was arrested immediately after court and charged with an outstanding warrant.
Now his victim has told Daily Mail Australia she has had enough.
Ethan Henshaw (pictured when he was younger) was in a relationship with a woman for eight years.
Ethan Henshaw (pictured) was arrested after court Thursday and charged with outstanding warrants.
The woman revealed that she had called the police herself to find out that he was wanted by police for jumping bail and has asked the courts to do more to protect victims.
“What I don’t understand is how or why the courts allow serial offenders like Ethan to continue to have access to their victims,” he said.
‘Throughout this entire process he has continued to breach his AVO and bail conditions, which I immediately reported to the police on their advice.
‘He has been accused on different occasions since October of violating these conditions. Despite this, the magistrates continue to grant him bail.
She revealed that she moved house twice in six months and scaled her work hours to reduce the likelihood of seeing him.
In court on Thursday, Henshaw hung his head when the prosecutor told the court he had “accumulated a long criminal record” in relation to AVO breaches against the same woman.
According to police facts, Henshaw was originally hit with an AVO in October 2023 for intimate images.
He was ordered not to enter the Sydney CBD or the suburb where the victim lived, must not contact her and must refrain from using social media unless it was for work.
Henshaw (pictured) pleaded guilty to breaching an AVO and threatening to send nudes of his ex.
Henshaw hung his head in court Thursday when his attorney said he had a criminal record.
At 10:32 a.m. on Nov. 17, a week after appearing in court on the intimate images charges, he received an email from Snapchat saying, “Bingus added you as a friend.”
Bingus was the nickname he gave Henshaw during their relationship.
He accepted the friend request and, shortly after midday, received an email from an account starting ‘Bingus8893’.
The email said: ‘I’m worried about you. I still care about you, I have never stopped, I will never stop caring, no matter what happens. I hope you are happy and well. I’m here if you ever need me and I always will be.
‘If you need to talk, some company or a hug, just say it. I’m not mad at you and I just want you to be happy, that’s all that matters.’
She was at work and did not respond during the day, but went to the police station around 8pm and opened it in the presence of the police.
The first message read: “I’m not here to harass you, bother you, annoy you or anything remotely negative.” I’m just trying to check in and make sure you’re okay.
‘I care and I really care about you. I hope you understand that I am aware of the risk and implications for me in making sure you are okay, but you are important to me.’
Henshaw messaged his ex-girlfriend on Snapchat with the username ‘Bingus’
Police then searched his local area and found Henshaw sitting in a gray BMW around 100 meters from his home, which was a breach of his bail and the conditions of the AVO.
When asked why he was in the area, he told police he was taking his dog for a walk and was often in the area because he worked in the automotive wholesale trade.
He denied contacting his ex-girlfriend via email and Snapchat, refused to answer further questions and was arrested and charged with breaching an AVO.
In court on Thursday, Magistrate Daniel Reiss accepted a request from prosecutors to implement a final AVO to protect the victim from Henshaw for five years, rather than the standard two years.
Police confiscated Henshaw’s phone after his arrest in October. Before getting it back, he will have to delete all intimate images of his ex-girlfriend from the device and any cloud accounts.
Henshaw was refused bail following his arrest after court on Thursday and will face court again on Friday.
His two further breaches of the AVO will be mentioned at Burwood Local Court on May 31.
He will appear at the Downing Center on July 19 for sentencing on the intimate images charges and two breaches of the AVO.
