Shared intimate image, but not convicted
The action of sharing the image resulted in the 52-year-old woman being charged, but ultimately she avoided a conviction because of her lesser involvement in the reposting "equation".
For that reason her name was also permanently suppressed.
The charge of posting an intimate visual recording carries a maximum two-year prison term or a $50,000 fine.
"This really was a perfect storm of factors that led to the offending," defence lawyer Amanda Godwin told the court.
The defendant was charged after the victim complained to the police.
Judge Stephen Harrop said it was a serious charge, and the court recognised the serious harm caused to people by posting such material, but the defendant had since suffered "serious abuse" online, making her a victim of harmful social media, too.
She had suffered other consequences, including the loss of a contract linked to her business.
The court heard that in January this year, the defendant met an Australian man on TikTok. The man had received the intimate image from the complainant via Snapchat.
He shared the image to a Messenger group of about 13 people, to which the defendant belonged.
Another member of the group "doctored" the image to make it animated and shared it with the defendant, who sent it to the TikTok acquaintance to "double check" he had seen it.
The person who doctored the image and shared it has been charged and will be sentenced in a South Island court next month.
Judge Harrop said the "real culprit" was the man who shared it initially, but he acknowledged the victim was concerned about it having been reposted.
"We have a situation where the victim put it out in the first place, which was intended for one person but was then published to a group of 13," Judge Harrop said.
"It does mean the seriousness of the offending is less than what appeared."
He said the defendant had then suffered a "sustained campaign of harassment and abuse" online and she too had become a victim.
She had since been diagnosed with a mental health condition that was likely to make her act impulsively.
The consequences of a conviction were, therefore, likely to be greater than they might be for someone more resilient, Judge Harrop said in granting a discharge without conviction.
The defendant was ordered to make a $200 emotional harm payment to the victim.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
NZ Herald
2 days ago
- NZ Herald
Teen Sarah Patrick charged with parents' murder after sister's discovery
'I can't help but hate myself because I didn't wake up to find them before my five-year-old sister had to find her parents like that,' the teen said in a post to her now-deactivated TikTok social media account. 'It hits me when I see my five-year-old sister screaming for her mommy and daddy,' she added. Sarah, now 17, was arrested early in July by Carroll County, Georgia, police and charged with two counts of murder and two of aggravated assault. Carroll County officials say she turned herself in when presented with 'mountains of physical and digital evidence'. Her biological father, Doniel, accompanied her. He's convinced she's innocent. 'I'll always be in your corner,' he wrote on Facebook. 'Never doubt your place in this world. You were sent here with purpose, wrapped in grace and born to shine in ways only your soul knows how.' Chaotic childhood 'They don't know it, but a year from now me and my 5-year-old sister would find them wrongfully shot dead in our home – and they won't get to watch me graduate high school, see me walk down the aisle, or even say goodbye,' Sarah posted to TikTok alongside an image of her dead parents in March. Carroll County police cited "mountains of physical and digital evidence" in their case against Patrick. Photo / TikTok 'I miss you guys, save a seat for me in heaven.' But the series of tearful TikTok posts did not address the bitter custody battle waged between her biological parents. Doniel Patrick filed for divorce from his wife in 2018 after 10 years of marriage. They had two children, Sarah and her younger brother, Donnie. Doniel had sought 'primary physical custody of the parties' minor child' and that all visits be supervised until she proved to be 'clean' of drug and alcohol abuse. Ultimately, the divorce settlement gave primary custody to the mother, with the father only seeing them every second weekend and during holidays. This settlement was soon appealed, however. Doniel filed an emergency custody application in November 2019, alleging that Kristen and her new boyfriend – James Brock – had exposed the children to methamphetamine and marijuana use. According to court documents, Sarah, then just 11, told police she was aware of the presence of drugs, that drugs were being used, and that she felt 'unsafe'. Brock was serving probation for drug offences involving ice and marijuana. 'I, Sarah Grace Patrick, am 11 years old and love both of my parents very much,' she recorded in appeal documentation. 'I really want to live with my father. On December 12, 2019, my mother said I could finally live with my father after I told her.' The custody appeal was initially granted. But it was overturned just five days later. Kristin then accused Doniel of breaching the divorce custody agreement by 'wilfully abusing alcohol during his parenting time' and seeking to demean her reputation with her children. A March 2020 court order gave the parents equal custody, adding that the mother must 'ensure that the oldest child, Sarah Patrick, is placed in counselling immediately'. Tumultuous times By October 2020, Sara Grace was allowed to stay with her father during the week and return to her mother on weekends. But, two years later, things took a disturbing turn. Her stepfather, James Brock, accused Kristin of deliberately driving the family car into the side of a barn in which he was standing. James Brock, 45, and Kristin Brock, 41. Photo / Facebook 'Respondent tried to run over the petitioner while he was inside the barn, with the minor child in the backseat of the vehicle,' a police report reads. 'The other minor child witnessed the whole incident. Respondent is abusing prescription medication.' The 'other minor' inside the car was Jaley, then aged 6. Her older brother, Donnie, also witnessed the incident. James went on to accuse Kristin of assault, deliberate property damage and threatening to kill him. But he later dropped all allegations. Instead, they got married in December 2023. 'I don't know if she ever realised … that the person I most wanted to be was her,' Sarah Grace posted to TikTok in April. Another clip shows her in tears, with mascara running down her face. Superimposed are the words: 'Life's hard but at least I have my mom'. The post then cuts to two cremation urns with a photo of Kristin with James. The caption reads: 'Mom?' Sarah Grace's grandfather, Dennis Nolan, is not convinced of her guilt. 'It's all speculative stuff,' he told FOX 5 Atlanta. 'Nothing puts the gun in her hand. They don't have the gun.' He said he had received a call from Sarah after she was detained: 'What are they doing to me?' she reportedly asked. 'Why are they doing this to me? I didn't do anything.' Building a case 'I know, 100% of my heart, that Sarah's innocent,' Sarah's father, Doniel, told US media. 'She's a typical 17-year-old that lived like a teenager, and she would never do this.' Her father, Doniel Patrick (left), insists on her innocence, criticising police procedures during her interrogation. Photo / Facebook He complained that police had not followed correct procedures when interviewing his daughter. Police had prompted him to take a break, he explained. 'By the time I came back in, they had her in the room, interrogating her without my permission. By the way, she was 16 years old at the time,' he said. Doniel says Sarah had named several people she believed may have been involved in the killing. 'She had told us about, you know, other friends of the family and stuff, and she suspected they could have done it,' he said. But Carroll County police are resolute. 'While the case has not remained in the public spotlight in recent months, this investigation has never gone silent,' the Sheriff's Office said in a recent statement. 'Real justice takes time, time to ensure that no detail is overlooked, no stone unturned.' County Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Ashley Hulsey said there were no signs of forced entry at the house, though one door was slightly ajar. And nothing appeared to have been stolen. 'Our team has sifted through mountains of physical and digital evidence and collaborated with the FBI and GBI (Georgia Bureau of Investigation) crime lab,' she added. Hulsey explained that a livestreamed recording of Sarah giving a eulogy at her mother's funeral was among the key pieces of evidence they had collected. Investigators believe the performance was an attempt to divert attention. Although they admit they do not have a motive for the killings. 'She's 17. She's kind of been out on her own. She's lived with different family members and moved all over the place,' Hulsey said. 'We don't know what goes through the mind of a child who wants to harm their parents.' Sarah has been charged as a full adult. The next court hearing is scheduled for August 11.
NZ Herald
3 days ago
- NZ Herald
Two men charged with staging car crashes in scheme to defraud drivers
In the statement, the district attorney's office described a complex plot to defraud drivers. On October 16, Huiracocha met with a group of people at a medical clinic in Brooklyn and gave them instructions on how to stage a car accident. He promised the group 'thousands of dollars', according to prosecutors. Huiracocha and the group, including Murillo, then drove to a location near the Belt Parkway where four vehicles, including a silver Honda Civic and a red Kia, were parked, prosecutors said. Huiracocha assigned drivers to the waiting vehicles and the team headed out on the parkway to look for a victim, according to prosecutors. Murillo, the driver of the Honda, was able to communicate with the rest of the group using headphones. The group soon decided to target a 2021 Acura RDX, driven by Ashpia Natasha of Queens, heading north in the left lane of the parkway. Prosecutors claim Murillo drove the Honda in front of Natasha and abruptly came to a stop. Natasha stepped on her brakes to avoid an accident, but Murillo backed into her car, causing what she later claimed was $8300 in damages. Murillo then got out of the Honda, leaving it on the road, and got into the Kia, which had been following close behind Natasha and had pulled in front of the Honda after the accident. The Kia then left the scene, prosecutors said. Dash cameras on Natasha's vehicle recorded the accident and its aftermath. A day after the collision, she uploaded the footage to TikTok, where it went viral. In an interview today, Natasha said she was relieved that Murillo and Huiracocha had been charged, and she credited social media for highlighting the episode. 'I'm really grateful for everyone who helped me bring attention to it,' Natasha, 32, said. 'If it wasn't for them I feel like this incident wouldn't really have been taken seriously.' Melinda Katz, the Queens district attorney, said that staged auto accidents had been used to fleece 'innocent drivers', and that New Yorkers were 'outraged' by such crimes. 'We are grateful that the initial victim came forward with shocking dashcam video of one of these collisions,' Katz said in the statement. Maikel Martinez, who was also in the vehicle that struck Natasha, according to prosecutors, was charged in November with insurance fraud, staging a motor vehicle accident, reckless endangerment and other crimes. Murillo and Huiracocha were involved in two other staged accidents last year, according to prosecutors. Alexis Mendoza was driving a tractor-trailer on the Nassau Expressway on October 3 when a Nissan Xterra abruptly cut in front of him, causing a collision. Afterwards, Murillo got out of the Nissan and entered a nearby vehicle, which left the scene, prosecutors said. On August 24, a vehicle travelling westbound on the Belt Parkway collided with a silver Honda Civic that had merged directly in front of it, prosecutors said. After the accident, the driver of the vehicle, Alyssa Attanasio, saw what appeared to be a black rubbish bag covering the rear window of the Honda, preventing her from viewing its occupants. Four men including Murillo got out of the Honda and hopped into a red Kia after the crash, prosecutors said. Allstate Insurance received personal injury claims from the Honda's occupants totalling more than US$79,000, according to the district attorney's office. Nine months after her accident, Natasha said she hoped the experience – and the attention it received – would help highlight the importance of dashcams and prevent others from falling victim to insurance schemes. 'I'm just relieved, because if this was to happen to anyone else again they'll be prepared,' she said. This article originally appeared in The New York Times. Written by: Samantha Latson Photograph by: Johnny Milano ©2025 THE NEW YORK TIMES
1News
3 days ago
- 1News
Black fluid oozing from suitcase leads to bust at Adelaide Airport
Black fluid oozing from the handle of a suitcase alerted Australian Border Force officers to an alleged attempt to import heroin into Adelaide. Using intelligence-led screening and officer intuition, Australian Border Force (ABF) officers conducted a full examination and searched the luggage of a man who had arrived at Adelaide Airport on July 29 from overseas. The officers allegedly identified a black fluid oozing from the handle of the man's suitcase. A presumptive test of the substance returned a positive result for heroin, with about 500g removed from the suitcase. SA man charged with allegedly smuggling 500g heroin into Adelaide in a suitcase (Source: Australian Federal Police) ADVERTISEMENT The 47-year-old Australian-Afghan dual citizen was charged with one count of importing a marketable quantity of a border controlled substance in the Adelaide Magistrates Court. The maximum penalty for this offence was 25 years' imprisonment. ABF Superintendent Jody Griswood said this detection highlighted the vigilance and experience of ABF officers on the front line, who were crucial in stopping harmful substances from reaching Australian streets. "ABF officers at the border are highly trained, experienced and alert. They know exactly what to look for when selecting travellers and their baggage for further examination," Griswood said. SA man charged with allegedly smuggling 500g heroin into Adelaide in a suitcase (Source: Australian Federal Police) "This isn't an isolated case and it's not based on luck." AFP Detective Acting Superintendent Simon Lalic said agencies worked together to disrupt anyone who attempted to import harmful, illicit substances into Australia. "Criminals are motivated by greed. They have no regard for the significant harmful impacts these illicit drugs have on our community." The man was expected to reappear in court in September.
