Madeline
Rookie
- Banned
- #1
A jilted lover has made legal history by being jailed for posting a photograph of his ex-girlfriend naked for millions of Facebook users to see.
After 12 hours, police and Facebook authorities shut down the woman's account but not before it was available to all 500 million active users of the social network.
Joshua Simon Ashby, 20, held a piece of paper over his face yesterday in an attempt to prevent The Dominion Post photographing him as he was being sentenced.
Judge Andrew Becroft, in Wellington District Court, allowed Ashby's photo to be taken, saying "there was a certain symmetry to it", then stepped in to tell Ashby not to hide his face.
Ashby posted the photo in an "irresponsible drunken jealous rage" after the breakup of their five-month relationship, the judge said.
It is believed to be the first time someone has been sentenced for a crime committed using social media under the seldom-used morality and decency section of the Crimes Act.
Ashby's parents, Michael and Lisa, hope the jail term will deter others from the "dark side" of Facebook.
The Island Bay painter was jailed for four months after pleading guilty to a charge of distributing indecent matter and six others of threatening to kill, wilful damage, theft of the woman's clothes, and assault.
He had included in text messages to her on July 23: "I'm going to kill you" and "Dead bitch". He then posted a photograph he had of her naked in front of a mirror to her Facebook page. Initially, 218 of her friends had access to it, but Ashby then made it publicly available and changed her password. Her friends saw the photo and texted her to tell her.
Judge Becroft said he was adapting an old print law for the internet age. "Technology can't be used in this way," he warned. "You would do incalculable damage to someone's reputation."
Mr and Mrs Ashby told The Dominion Post they supported their son fully, but the sentence was "excellent" work by the judge.
Naked photo sends jilted lover to jail | Stuff.co.nz
My guess is, we will soon be seeing the very same type of sentences handed out here in the US. I say good on New Zealand.
Your thoughts?