Breakthrough in search for daughter who went missing 25 years ago
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Perth Now
14 hours ago
- Perth Now
‘Pretend kiss': Teacher denies abusing girl
A music teacher who was photographed kissing an underage teen girl in a cinema photo booth has taken the stand to defend herself at trial, claiming it was a 'pretend kiss' that she did not want or expect. Janelle Colville Fletcher, 40, is contesting the allegations that she groomed and sexually abused a teen girl some years ago and testified this week at the South Australian District Court before Judge Joanne Fuller. The prosecution, led by Chris Allen, allege Ms Fletcher abused the girl in various locations and also that she communicated with her and another teenage girl to make them amenable to sexual activity. Some of the alleged offending happened when the two girls and Ms Fletcher were alone together in a room, the prosecution said, with the teacher allegedly performing a lap dance on a chair. She then allegedly 'dared' the two girls to kiss each other and asked if they would 'date' each other. That same night, Mr Allen said, Ms Fletcher then spent time alone with one of the girls and touched her genital area. The alleged grooming and abuse of the girl then went on for months at various locations, the prosecution said, including the home of Ms Fletcher and in Ms Fletcher's car. This week, the prosecution presented emails and messages between the girl and Ms Fletcher and also various photographs that they allege demonstrate Ms Fletcher was in a sexual relationship with the child. Janelle Fletcher has pleaded not guilty to sexual abuse of a child and communicate to make a child amenable to sexual activity. NewsWire Credit: News Corp Australia A photo taken from a photo booth at a cinema shows the pair kissing, but Ms Fletcher, under questioning from defence lawyer Andrew Culshaw, said she was 'pulled in and the photo went off'. 'In the second photo from the bottom … we can see you and (the girl) appear to be kissing … can you explain to Her Honour what happened,' Mr Culshaw asked. 'It was meant to be a pretend kiss like we had done previously where our lips don't actually touch, and in that particular photo we got close and she did sort of pull me in and the photo went off, yeah,' Ms Fletcher said. 'When you say 'she pulled you in and the photo went off', what happened?' Mr Culshaw pressed. 'Just like around my neck sort of thing, just like, just so we would touch, yeah. 'Did you voluntarily engage in a kiss with her?' Mr Culshaw pressed 'No, I did not,' Ms Fletcher said. Other photos, exhibited in court, show the girl at Ms Fletcher's house. 'You appear to be leaning against her (the girl),' Mr Allen said. 'Yes,' Ms Fletcher replied. Defence lawyer Craig Caldicott (right) is representing Ms Fletcher. NewsWire Credit: News Corp Australia 'Is that a selfie taken by you?' Mr Allen asked. 'It does appear that way, yes,' Ms Fletcher said. 'Does it appear that it is taken in your house?' Mr Allen continued. 'Yes,' Ms Fletcher said. In a series of emails read out in court, Ms Fletcher appears to express strong feelings for the girl. In one, Ms Fletcher wrote: 'My feelings for you are not lust but love.' 'In your mind, what is the difference between the two?' Mr Culshaw asked. 'Lust is like with you are attracted to someone. You have the hots for them, so I guess similar,' Ms Fletcher replied. 'Love is not necessarily sexual or romantic, it is love.' In other emails, Ms Fletcher told the girl: 'I am being selfish wanting you to myself when I need to let you live your life with someone your own age', and also 'right now, we can't be open. Right now we will have to continue as we are in secret ...' But Ms Fletcher argued these messages were written to keep the girl happy and also to guide her away. 'Really, all the emails, the intention behind it was to try and make (the girl) feel that she is not abandoned, she is loved, she is wanted and that in another time or place, maybe she could entertain that she could be with me, but my sole intent of all of these was to slowly get her to think it was her idea to not be with me but to be with … someone her own age and I wanted her to think it was her idea,' Ms Fletcher said. She told the court the girl had expressed romantic feelings for her and that she was struggling with her sexual identity. Ms Fletcher said the girl started exhibiting 'concerning behaviour' and she sought to point her in the direction of a more age-appropriate relationship. In one email, she told the girl she was 'completely in love' with her, but she told the court that was a lie. 'I did think she was a beautiful person,' Ms Fletcher said. 'It wasn't true that I was in love with her.' 'Why did you write it there,' Mr Culshaw asked. 'Because that's what I knew she wanted to hear,' Ms Fletcher said. The trial is being held at the South Australian District Court in Adelaide. NewsWire / Naomi Jellicoe Credit: News Corp Australia Mr Allen, in his opening cross-examination of Ms Fletcher, reiterated the prosecution's allegations of extended sexual abuse at various locations and Ms Fletcher flatly denied each allegation. When Mr Allen said Ms Fletcher was grinding on a chair inside a room with the girl and another girl present, Ms Fletcher appeared to giggle. 'Do you think that's funny?' Mr Allen said. 'Sorry, I don't mean to be rude. No, that's not,' Ms Fletcher replied. Ms Fletcher holds a PhD in music education. She told the court that she was heterosexual and believed in the Catholic faith. She was still legally married to a man, though the pair had separated, she told the court. Closing arguments in the judge-alone trial are expected on Monday.
SBS Australia
14 hours ago
- SBS Australia
The $200 trick criminals use to turn some Australians into 'money mules'
Criminals are offering Australians as little as $200 to rent out their bank accounts, turning people into "money mules". The Australian Federal Police (AFP) warned this week that renting, selling or sharing your bank account details is illegal and can expose you to serious risk, even if you don't realise a crime is being committed. The AFP said in many cases, people are offered between $200 and $500, or promised a cut of the transferred funds, simply for receiving and passing on money through their personal bank accounts. That money is often funnelled through cryptocurrency platforms or withdrawn in cash to make it harder to trace. AFP detective superintendent Marie Andersson said criminals rely on everyday Australians to help move their money. "It is illegal to rent, buy or sell bank accounts, and doing so supports the criminal ecosystem," Andersson said. "Your account may be housing money derived from scams, extortion, drug trafficking and terrorism." The AFP said a 26-year-old woman was jailed in April this year as part of a money laundering syndicate which used money mules in Sydney and Melbourne to pick up and deposit cash — which was alleged to be the proceeds of criminal activity — into bank accounts. These accounts were used to launder $3.8 million in proceeds of crime, which were ultimately transferred overseas. Mule accounts a 'key tactic in a criminal's playbook' According to the Commonwealth Bank, many people who act as money mules are not aware they are doing anything wrong. Some are recruited through job scams or social media ads offering easy income, while others are approached by friends or acquaintances. Young people, students and new arrivals to Australia are often targeted. An example of a money mule scam text message. Source: Supplied / Commonwealth Bank Australian Banking Association CEO Anna Bligh said mule accounts were a key part of a scammer's business model and banks were focused on identifying, investigating and shutting them down. "Using mule accounts to hide and move stolen money around is a key tactic in a criminal's playbook," Bligh said. "I urge Australians to steer clear if you've seen an advertisement or are approached to rent or sell your bank account. There's a good chance you're being recruited to hide the profits of criminal activity." To stay safe, the AFP and banks recommend: Never sharing your bank account or login details with anyone Avoiding job offers that involve receiving and forwarding money. Reporting anything suspicious to your bank, Scamwatch or ReportCyber.
News.com.au
15 hours ago
- News.com.au
Music teacher Janelle Fletcher testifies, denies sexually abusing teen girl
A music teacher who was photographed kissing an underage teen girl in a cinema photo booth has taken the stand to defend herself at trial, claiming it was a 'pretend kiss' that she did not want or expect. Janelle Colville Fletcher, 40, is contesting the allegations that she groomed and sexually abused a teen girl some years ago and testified this week at the South Australian District Court before Judge Joanne Fuller. The prosecution, led by Chris Allen, allege Ms Fletcher abused the girl in various locations and also that she communicated with her and another teenage girl to make them amenable to sexual activity. Some of the alleged offending happened when the two girls and Ms Fletcher were alone together in a room, the prosecution said, with the teacher allegedly performing a lap dance on a chair. She then allegedly 'dared' the two girls to kiss each other and asked if they would 'date' each other. That same night, Mr Allen said, Ms Fletcher then spent time alone with one of the girls and touched her genital area. The alleged grooming and abuse of the girl then went on for months at various locations, the prosecution said, including the home of Ms Fletcher and in Ms Fletcher's car. This week, the prosecution presented emails and messages between the girl and Ms Fletcher and also various photographs that they allege demonstrate Ms Fletcher was in a sexual relationship with the child. A photo taken from a photo booth at a cinema shows the pair kissing, but Ms Fletcher, under questioning from defence lawyer Andrew Culshaw, said she was 'pulled in and the photo went off'. 'In the second photo from the bottom … we can see you and (the girl) appear to be kissing … can you explain to Her Honour what happened,' Mr Culshaw asked. 'It was meant to be a pretend kiss like we had done previously where our lips don't actually touch, and in that particular photo we got close and she did sort of pull me in and the photo went off, yeah,' Ms Fletcher said. 'When you say 'she pulled you in and the photo went off', what happened?' Mr Culshaw pressed. 'Just like around my neck sort of thing, just like, just so we would touch, yeah. 'Did you voluntarily engage in a kiss with her?' Mr Culshaw pressed 'No, I did not,' Ms Fletcher said. Other photos, exhibited in court, show the girl at Ms Fletcher's house. 'You appear to be leaning against her (the girl),' Mr Allen said. 'Yes,' Ms Fletcher replied. 'Is that a selfie taken by you?' Mr Allen asked. 'It does appear that way, yes,' Ms Fletcher said. 'Does it appear that it is taken in your house?' Mr Allen continued. 'Yes,' Ms Fletcher said. In a series of emails read out in court, Ms Fletcher appears to express strong feelings for the girl. In one, Ms Fletcher wrote: 'My feelings for you are not lust but love.' 'In your mind, what is the difference between the two?' Mr Culshaw asked. 'Lust is like with you are attracted to someone. You have the hots for them, so I guess similar,' Ms Fletcher replied. 'Love is not necessarily sexual or romantic, it is love.' In other emails, Ms Fletcher told the girl: 'I am being selfish wanting you to myself when I need to let you live your life with someone your own age', and also 'right now, we can't be open. Right now we will have to continue as we are in secret ...' But Ms Fletcher argued these messages were written to keep the girl happy and also to guide her away. 'Really, all the emails, the intention behind it was to try and make (the girl) feel that she is not abandoned, she is loved, she is wanted and that in another time or place, maybe she could entertain that she could be with me, but my sole intent of all of these was to slowly get her to think it was her idea to not be with me but to be with … someone her own age and I wanted her to think it was her idea,' Ms Fletcher said. She told the court the girl had expressed romantic feelings for her and that she was struggling with her sexual identity. Ms Fletcher said the girl started exhibiting 'concerning behaviour' and she sought to point her in the direction of a more age-appropriate relationship. In one email, she told the girl she was 'completely in love' with her, but she told the court that was a lie. 'I did think she was a beautiful person,' Ms Fletcher said. 'It wasn't true that I was in love with her.' 'Why did you write it there,' Mr Culshaw asked. 'Because that's what I knew she wanted to hear,' Ms Fletcher said. Mr Allen, in his opening cross-examination of Ms Fletcher, reiterated the prosecution's allegations of extended sexual abuse at various locations and Ms Fletcher flatly denied each allegation. When Mr Allen said Ms Fletcher was grinding on a chair inside a room with the girl and another girl present, Ms Fletcher appeared to giggle. 'Do you think that's funny?' Mr Allen said. 'Sorry, I don't mean to be rude. No, that's not,' Ms Fletcher replied. Ms Fletcher holds a PhD in music education. She told the court that she was heterosexual and believed in the Catholic faith. She was still legally married to a man, though the pair had separated, she told the court. Closing arguments in the judge-alone trial are expected on Monday.
