- Ashley Hallam and Catherine Lee charged over viral videos
- One film featured a sexual act with a brown trout.
- In another, they allegedly had sex on a grave.
A Tasmanian man charged over a viral sex tape featuring a woman in a boat and a live brown trout was revealed to be a fishing enthusiast.
Ashley David Hallam, 55, and Catherine June Lee, 58, were charged last February with allegations that they produced bestiality material sometime between February 1, 2022 and January 25, 2023.
Police will allege the disturbing film showed Lee lying on a boat at sea, somewhere near the south of the island state, while Hallam used the fish to perform a sex act on her.
The couple were also charged over a second home video showing them having sex at the grave of famous painter David Hammond Chapman at St Mark’s Anglican cemetery in Cressy, in the state’s north.
Hallam faced Hobart Magistrates Court on bestiality charges on Friday, while Lee was excused because she had not been issued a summons, The Mercury reported.
Ashley Hallam (right) is a fishing enthusiast who often shares photos of his catches online.
Pictured: A screenshot of an alleged sexual act in a cemetery in Tasmania.
It can now be revealed that Hallam is a keen fisherman who regularly posts about his fishing and cooking exploits on local Facebook groups.
Many of the posts feature selfies holding their massive catch, while others include cooking tips.
In January, in a group called ‘Australian carp slayers’, he wrote: ‘Hello everyone! I just wanted to introduce myself and share a photo I took… this guy got a vibe… thrown like a train.’
The image showed him standing on a boat, triumphantly holding a giant carp.
Another post from February showed Hallam holding another large fish, along with photos of the dish he cooked with it.
“I love this stuff,” he wrote.
‘Narrow pulled from the depths in a saltwater brine… three hours later served with a beautiful light Galliano sauce and some roasted cauliflower from the garden… #freshisbest.’
Hallam (pictured) is accused of producing and possessing bestiality material.
Hallam also posts photos of his dishes on Facebook culinary groups (pictured)
Following the charges in February 2023, Lee’s former employer at Kingston Animal Hospital, Dr. Chris Lee, addressed the trout video in a statement.
“Dear valued clients, pets and supporters of Kingston Animal Hospital,” Dr. Lee wrote online.
‘I have recently learned that a former employee of the hospital has recently come under the spotlight by appearing in a video that has been widely circulated on social media.
“Please understand that this person is no longer a paid employee, has not worked at Kingston Animal Hospital for over 5 years and has been a full-time employee for over 10 years.”
At the time, police reminded the public that it is a crime to possess or distribute bestiality material.
The matter will return to court on August 20.