A man who flirted online with a married mother of two faces a jail sentence after emailing compromising photos of her to friends and family.

Stephen Hailes, an unemployed tree surgeon, started an online relationship with Karen Parker in a chat room. Although the two never met they were in constant contact.

Parker sent Hailes pictures of herself in various stages of undress but Hailes emailed them to everyone in her Hotmail address book after she broke off the relationship.

The case was heard at Cheltenham Magistrates' Court and Hailes faces a possible jail sentence for his actions.

"In the police interview the defendant said that he wanted [Parker's] husband to realise what sort of woman his wife was," prosecutor Sharon Jomaa told the court, according to The Times.

Hailes claimed in his defence that he was merely trying to send the photos to the woman's husband as proof of her infidelity but accidentally hit the 'Send All' button and distributed the images to everyone in Parker's address book.

"I cannot believe what has happened. I really liked her and thought we may have something special together. It is such a shame it has ended like this," he said.

"I do not see why I could go to prison for sending these rude pictures of her, when she made the rude pictures and sent them in the first place. She gave me the ammunition.

"It was a silly mistake. I was jealous and upset, but I honestly never meant to hurt anyone."

Hailes will be sentenced on 19 March.