Latest news with #sexualabuse
Daily Mail
28 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Music teacher allegedly challenged underage girls to kiss each other during game of truth or dare
A music teacher allegedly instructed two underage girls to kiss each other during a game of truth or dare before she sexually abused one of them, later telling the teen she was 'so in love with her' but would have to wait until she turned 17. Adelaide educator and flautist Janelle Colville Fletcher is standing trial in the South Australian District Court over the allegations regarding the teenage girls. She has pleaded not guilty to one count each of sexual abuse of a child and communicating with intent to make a child amenable to sexual activity. Prosecutor Chris Allen told the court Fletcher allegedly dared the two girls to kiss one another while in her early 30s, the Adelaide Advertiser reported. After one of the girls went to sleep, Fletcher then allegedly continued to engage in sexual acts with the other girl, the prosecutor told the court. Mr Allen accused Fletcher of engaging in 'two or more' sexual acts with the girl and continuing a relationship with her for several months. He referred to text and email exchanges between Fletcher and the teen, which allegedly included the teacher telling the girl she was 'so in love with her'. She is also accused of actively attempting to conceal her behaviour by allegedly instructing the girl to disguise her name in her contacts list. She also allegedly told the teenage girl not to speak about her. 'Right now we can't be open,' she allegedly wrote in one text. 'We have to continue as we are, in secret. I don't know if that is fair on you.' Mr Allen also accused Fletcher of giving the teenage girl several gifts for her birthday, including underwear, and taking her to a photo booth. The girl ended the relationship with Fletcher a few months later, the court heard. Both of her alleged victims are expected to give evidence at trial.
Daily Mail
2 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Top magazine editor reveals her chilling encounter with Jeffrey Epstein and act that still shocks her today
Veteran editor Tina Brown has said she was left shaken after Jeffrey Epstein brazenly showed up inside her office without an appointment 15 years ago. Recalling her encounter with Epstein, Brown said the disgraced financier had 'cold, snake-like eyes' and warned her to halt the Daily Beast's reporting on his abuse. Brown, who launched the Daily Beast alongside media mogul Barry Diller, said the chilling face-off came in 2010, just days after the outlet ran a major investigation into Epstein's sordid history and suspicious plea deal. She told the Daily Beast Podcast: 'He said, 'Just stop.' And he looked at me with this kind of snake eyes, cold, and it was menacing. It was really menacing. And he pointed his finger and he said, 'Just stop.' 'It was a very chilling experience,' she said. 'I mean, it was scary, actually.' The article, headlined 'Jeffrey Epstein, Billionaire Pedophile, Goes Free,' broke new ground by revealing how victims had told investigators they were as young as 12 when Epstein trafficked them – years before prosecutors brought federal charges. Before the uninvited visit, Brown said she'd already fielded calls from both Epstein and his attorney, trying to quash the story. She refused. But when she returned from lunch one day, she found him sitting in her office - having bypassed her security. She said: 'I was stunned. I stood at the door, aghast.' The Beast's 2010 investigation revealed girls as young as 12 were flown across the globe on Epstein's jets 'He was a master-class con man, so maybe he was just able always to kind of get what he wanted,' she added. Brown told him the reporting wouldn't stop – and that's when he dropped the threat. 'He said, 'There will be consequences if you don't stop,' she said. 'And he just got up, and he left my room.' At the time of the article, Epstein had already been convicted in Florida for soliciting a minor – but had served just 13 months in a county facility under a highly controversial deal that allowed him to spend most of his days outside the jail. It would take nearly another decade before he was arrested on federal sex trafficking charges. Epstein died in jail in 2019 while awaiting trial, with the medical examiner ruling it a suicide. His death sparked widespread suspicion, political finger-pointing, and an ongoing storm of conspiracy theories. This comes just after the Justice Department announced it would not release further records related to the case, and denied the existence of a so-called 'client list' implicating powerful allies. The move enraged corners of the MAGA base, who had hoped Donald Trump, a former Epstein acquaintance, would declassify more information. Brown, who had crossed paths with both Trump and Epstein during New York's glitzy social heyday in the '80s and '90s, said the disgraced financier's behavior during their brief office encounter made one thing clear: intimidation was his goal.
News.com.au
10 hours ago
- News.com.au
Child sexual offender caught working at Queensland daycare
A man convicted of sexually abusing a child has faced court in Queensland, after he was caught working at a daycare centre run by his wife. The 44-year-old NSW man appeared in court on Thursday. He was employed at Beenleigh Montessori Early learning Centre, carrying out odd jobs, 7NEWS reported. His wife, 46, was the director at the centre. The man was convicted of sexually abusing a child in NSW in 2007. He spent eight months in prison, and is banned from working with children. On Wednesday night the man was arrested at his Logan home. Police said there have been no reported incidents at the Beenleigh centre. The 44-year-old faced court on Thursday and pleaded guilty to two child protection breaches. He was fined $2000. The owner of the centre said they did not know about the man's criminal history. In a different case, a man has been charged with indecently treating a child at a Brisbane childcare centre run by embattled provider Affinity Education Group. The 21-year-old Cleveland man was charged earlier in July, the Queensland Police Service confirmed on Thursday. 'It is alleged the offence involving a four-year-old child occurred at a Tingalpa child care facility on July 10,' police said in a statement. The man has been charged with one count of indecent treatment of a child. The centre is owned by Affinity, which also employed alleged pedophile Joshua Dale Brown at several centres across Melbourne before his arrest this year. In a statement, the company said it had stood down the Cleveland man after reporting the matter to the police. Sussan Ley says the Coalition 'stands ready' to work 'constructively' with Labor to enact stronger childcare policies and called on the states to 'step up'. This comes after Victorian childcare worker Joshua Brown, 26, was hit with 70 child abuse charges. In a separate incident on Wednesday, a 21-year-old Queensland man was also charged with indecent treatment of a child at a Brisbane childcare centre. Speaking from Moreton Bay, Queensland, the Opposition Leader said parents 'don't have the confidence' or the 'faith and trust' in centres to look after their children and keep them safe. 'Our children are precious and it is disgusting and unacceptable that these incidences have taken place, and it makes me feel physically sick every time I hear of something,' she said. 'It's our young children and babies who are at risk in childcare centres with these hideous individuals on the loose.' Education Minister Jason Clare is set to introduce new legislation that will allow the Commonwealth to pull funding from centres that are not complying with standards and allow anti-fraud officers to undertake snap investigations without a warrant or police presence.
News.com.au
13 hours ago
- News.com.au
Music teacher Janelle Fletcher goes on trial for alleged child sexual abuse
A music teacher allegedly dared two teenage girls to kiss each other and texted one of them 'I love you, I'm so happy,' a court has heard. Janelle Colville Fletcher is standing trial in the South Australian District Court, having pleaded not guilty to grooming two girls and sexually abusing one of them while in a position of authority. She is alleged to have abused the girl in various locations some years ago and to have communicated with her and another teenage girl to make them amenable to sexual activity. In his opening statement, prosecutor Chris Allen argued before Judge Joana Fuller that Ms Fletcher had engaged in 'two or more' sexual acts with one of the girls, who was aged in her mid to late teens when the alleged offending began. Some of the alleged offending happened when the two girls and Ms Fletcher were alone together in a room, the prosecution said. In one instance, the prosecution allege Ms Fletcher, 40, was alone in a room with the two girls and performed 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, the prosecution said. Ms Fletcher exchanged text messages and emails with the girl, writing 'I'm so in love with you, you make me so happy', the prosecution said. She is also alleged to have texted: 'Right now we can't be open. We have to continue as we are, in secret … I don't know if that is fair on you.' The abuse happened at residential properties and in a car, the prosecution claimed. There was also a 'movie night', where the two of them took photographs together and kissed, Mr Allen said. The prosecution alleged Ms Fletcher offered 'numerous gifts' to the girl on her birthday. Ms Fletcher also actively tried to hide her behaviour, the prosecution argued, in one case instructing the girl to alter her name in her phone contact book. The girl ended the relationship after some months, the court heard. Both of Ms Fletcher's alleged victims are expected to give evidence at the trial. Ms Fletcher, from Trinity Gardens in Adelaide's inner east, was formerly the head of music at Tabor College, but she no longer works there. The alleged offending does not relate to Tabor College. The trial continues.
ABC News
18 hours ago
- ABC News
Law firm Maurice Blackburn investigating alleged historical sex abuse at Perth's Beldon Primary School
Law firm Maurice Blackburn has confirmed a number of people have come forward as part of its investigation into alleged sexual abuse claims at a Perth primary school dating back 30 years. The civil case is being brought by a former student of Beldon Primary School, which is in Perth's northern suburbs, who claims they were abused by a teacher. Specialist abuse lawyer Lily Hart has told the ABC the firm was looking to speak to anyone who was at the school between 1990 and 1994. "Witnesses we're hoping to speak with aren't always other survivors who may have experienced abuse," Ms Hart said. "It's also maybe former students, or parents that were involved with the school and might be able to provide further information about what was going on during that period." Ms Hart said while the case was yet to be formally presented to the court, any information uncovered during the investigation would be vital. "Often the defendants have all of the information and all of the power. "So if we're able to speak with other witnesses from that time period, that can really assist our clientele level that playing field a little bit." The Department of Education said it was not aware of the case or the potential claim and would not comment further. Ms Hart said given the department may end up being a defendant if the case gets to court, accessing documents from the period of the alleged abuse could be challenging. She said the firm would follow court processes in the event of that scenario, but the evidence-gathering process was already well advanced. "We're already spoken with quite a few witnesses. They've been really helpful and taken the time to speak with us," she said. "I appreciate it can be quite upsetting to hear if someone's attended a school that they really loved themselves and had good memories there, it can be upsetting to hear about these allegations. "But we have spoken with former students and members of the school community. And they've all been really lovely and really helpful and I want to thank them for their time as well."
