SA woman who made vile threats against man, family, on Facebook spared jail despite having ‘no remorse’ for her offending

She has no remorse for threatening a man and his family with torture and mutilation – even cannibalism, but a judge says she still does not deserve to be jailed.

An alleged rape victim who bombarded her purported assailant and his family with grotesque and violent Facebook threats has been spared jail – and ordered to leave them alone.

The District Court sentenced the woman, who cannot be identified, to 18 months’ jail, but suspended that term on condition of a five-year, $1000 good behaviour bond.

In sentencing, Auxiliary Judge Gordon Barrett said the woman’s long campaign of harassment displayed “a relatively sophisticated ability to manipulate social media”.

He also said it exposed her “verbal viciousness when you feel ill-treated”.

“It is plain that you have no insight whatsoever into your own behaviour or the effect of your behaviour on other people,” he said.

“Despite your lack of insight, despite your lack of remorse, it may be that (psychological) therapy may ensure that you do not do this sort of thing again.

“You (are to) have no contact of any sort in any way, shape or form with any of the victims … if you do, you will be brought back to the court.”

The woman, 28, was convicted by a jury of four counts of using a carriage service to menace, harass, or cause offence.

She sent the man and his family threats of torture, mutilation and death, and posted a $300 reward online for anyone who “caves his skull in or, better yet, castrates him”.

The woman also threatened to dig up, defile and cannibalise the graves of the family’s dead relatives, sending photos of dismembered corpses captioned “this shall be your fate”.

The harassment campaign followed a drunken sexual encounter between the woman and the man, which he claimed was consensual and she asserted was rape.

Despite making admissions to police upon her arrest, the woman has maintained her innocence – and blocked her ears when her victims read impact statements to the court.

In sentencing, Judge Barrett rejected the woman’s stance.

“You may have felt under some pressure to confess (to police) but what you confessed was not false,” he said.

He said the woman’s personal circumstances were “linked” to her offending, but could not excuse it.

“You are simply unable to appreciate the effect of your behaviour on other people,” he said.

Judge Barrett said that link – which would make her “very vulnerable” in prison – and the woman’s complete lack of prior offending, warranted a suspended sentence.