A former sports star threatened to post naked photos of a woman on his social media before sending the images to the phone of the victim’s relative, a court heard.
The man, who represented New Zealand internationally, cannot be identified due to a suppression order.
He appeared in New Plymouth District Court on Thursday where he pleaded guilty to three representative charges of publishing an intimate visual recording without consent.
The man repeatedly sent the woman naked photos, along with insulting messages, despite her asking him to stop and delete the images, according to a police summary of facts.
On May 23, he began sending consensually obtained nude photographs of the woman along with a message that he had many photos of her that were “worth sharing” on his social media accounts.
A week later, he sent a naked photo of the woman to his relative’s phone, but with the intention that the woman and not the relative would see it.
He also sent the message that he ‘loved the photo’, the New Zealand Herald reported.
Despite the woman asking him to stop and delete the images, the man continued to send nude photos of her, one with a message that read: ‘“It’s a shame you’re an idiot with a nice tit.”
A former New Zealand sports star has pleaded guilty to sending nude photos to a woman without her consent (file image)
Between June 5 and June 8, the man sent more messages and, on at least two occasions, more nude photos to the relative’s phone.
During that time, the woman asked him twice to delete the images, telling the man that his actions were inappropriate.
He replied that she shouldn’t have shared the photos with him.
District Court Judge Tony Greig ordered a pre-sentence report and referred the case to restorative justice.
He warned the man that he may soon have to wear an ankle monitor as a result of the crime.
Despite the woman asking the man to stop sending the images and delete them, he continued to bombard her phone with photos and messages (file image)
Judge Greig added that both home detention and community detention would be considered as sentencing options.
The man’s name will be suppressed until his sentencing on November 28 under the current order.
Defence lawyer Nathan Bourke told the court an application for permanent name suppression would likely be made.
