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| - James "Jamie" Bowman was a friend of Luke Britton who shared his interest in track car racing. He was also an ex-boyfriend of Luke's sister Steph. Luke contacted Jamie and invited him to watch the races, intent on convincing girlfriend Maria Connor that they were safe to participate in. Maria also invited Steph and Andy Carver along. Andy was uncomfortable to learn that Steph and Jamie had history, especially when he noticed them chatting, but Luke reassured him they were in the past. Maria remained worried about Luke racing, but he and Jamie did it in secret. They were eventually discovered when Norris Cole complained about the noise one morning when they put the stock car on the back of a trailer. Norris informed Maria, and she forced Luke to choose between their relationship and racing. Luke decided to stay with Maria and informed a dismayed Jamie that he was quitting. Apparently in serious debt and needing the money from an upcoming race, Jamie tried to convince him otherwise. Despite Luke offering to help with his money problems, Jamie attempted to blackmail him by sending a scantily clad photo of Steph from when they were together. He threatened to post it along with many others online unless Luke took part in the race, and Luke was forced to capitulate. After Luke told Sophie Webster about Jamie's blackmail, Sophie rushed to tell Steph and Andy that Luke was racing again. The pair rushed to the racetrack, only to find that Luke was about to race. Although Luke won, Steph refused to forgive both Jamie and Luke for the stupid mistake. After Luke told Steph about the photos later in the evening, she next confronted Jamie to try to get him change his mind about the photos, but he refused to back down. Steph decided she needed to come clean to Andy about the situation. After speaking to him, the couple remained united, but Andy showed signs of wanting to physically hurt Jamie for the blackmail. After trying once more to appeal to Jamie, Steph invited him for a drink at the Rovers. She tried to get Jamie to see things from her point of view, but he still wouldn't back down. Steph then told him that he might as well post the photos as nothing could make her feel worse than she already felt. Jamie reminded her of their mutual friends on Facebook and all the family that would see them but neither were prepared to give up. Jamie then posted the pictures and Steph had failed to call his bluff. A paranoid Steph snapped at customers at Nick's Bistro, and after breaking down, she opened up to Leanne Tilsley, who convinced her to do the right thing, while Andy and Luke attempted to track Jamie down. Luke lead Andy to the Bridge Inn, a pub that Jamie frequented, and found him playing pool with his girlfriend and his mates. Jamie joked about the pictures, leading Andy to punch him in the face before the pair were then separated. Andy told Jamie's girlfriend Zoe that he posted pictures online, prompting her to pour a pint over his head and walking out. As Steph and Leanne arrived at the pub, Luke and Andy left - shortly followed by Jamie, who was arrested on suspicion of disclosing private and sexual images with intent to cause distress. Steph explained to Luke and Andy that she had told the police about the photos, but not about the racing in case that Luke got into legal trouble. Steph still regretted the photos but understood there was nothing more she could do. In mid-January 2016, Luke learned that Jamie had been released on bail and had been taken on at an upmarket bar. Luke and Andy went to the establishment to confront Jamie and informed bar manager Wendy about his recent past. Wendy fired both Jamie and his colleague Lee - who'd recommended Jamie for the job, despite knowing of Jamie's circumstances. That evening, Jamie and Lee parked their car on Coronation Street where they began hatching a plan to get back at Steph. With an idea to rob Nick's Bistro, they forced their way into the premises thinking that Steph might have been inside alone, but instead discovered Carla Connor there and the building in darkness. Having explained that there was no money in the till as the restaurant had been closed since midday, Carla gave them the opportunity to walk away but Jamie snatched Carla's handbag, adamant that he wasn't leaving empty-handed. Although Carla gave chase and tried to retrieve her handbag as the pair drove off, she was thrown from the getaway car and badly hurt in the process. Jamie appeared in court during the following month on the charge of posting private and sexual images online. He was subsequently found guilty and ordered to serve a three-year custodial sentence. This means he won't be released until 2019.
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