The victim, who cannot be named, sent the messages during a Saturday night drinking session in April.

One of the texts was sent to joiner David McAthey, who had previously given the victim a quote for repairs to a fence, Newcastle Crown Court yesterday heard.

McAthey initially played along with the text suggestions, believing the messages to be from a woman.

But when he realised he had been communicating with a homosexual man, McAthey and his pal John Mercer threatened to expose the government worker's behaviour in a newspaper and beat him up unless he handed over cash.

As a result, the victim and his live-in partner handed over £5,300, the court heard.

Peter Gair, prosecuting, said: "The threat initially was if he
didn't give Mr McAthey £500 he would go to the Gazette.

"He was embarrassed about having sent the text messages offering sex.

"On the day they both arrived, Mercer was saying he wanted £5,000 or he would beat them up."

The court heard the actual messages had been deleted from the mobile phones by the time the police became involved.

But Mr Gair said: "The messages were along the lines of 'I will come around for sex'. There was a reference to paying for sex.

"McAthey went along with this, thinking it was a woman."

The court heard McAthey eventually found out who the texts were coming from. And it was on May 23, he and Mercer turned up at the victim's home.

During the visit Mercer "punched and slapped" the victim and his partner then left with £300.

He also said he would be back for a further £5,000 which he
collected from the men during a meeting at a pub car park on May 26.

It was when Mercer turned up at the couple's door again on June 12, demanding another £5,000, they decided to report what was going on to the police.

McAthey, 27, of Stanhope Road, South Shields, and Mercer, of Alnwick Road, South Shields, both admitted blackmail.

Mr Recorder Lodge jailed McAthey for six months and Mercer for 18 months.

The judge told them: "Blackmail is a serious, mean and dishonest offence.

"It occurred because you McAthey had offered to do some work for the man and you exchanged phone numbers.

"In the course of drunkenness by him the man text you and lots of other people with sexual innuendo.

"You were ridiculed by your friends about the homosexual invitations and that instigated this."

Paul Currer, defending McAthey, said his actions were borne out of embarrassment.

Mr Currer said: "Although it was amusing for his friends he felt aggrieved at that intrusion of the text messages."

Glen Gatland, defending, said Mercer had got involved to help repay a £15,000 drugs debt.