Ipswich mum Jessie Ayling’s ‘disturbing, cruel’ online harassment of ex’s wife over child’s death

The nasty messages fired from a jaded ex-girlfriend during an “utterly deplorable” online tirade against a mother in the weeks after the shock death of her toddler have been revealed.

Jessie Ayling, 31, outside Ipswich Courthouse on May 17, 2023. Picture: Nicola McNamara

A woman grieving the death of her young daughter became victim to a “callous and cruel” vendetta of online harassment in the months following.

Her online tormentor was her husband’s ex-girlfriend, Jessie Ella Ayling.

Ayling, a 31-year-old Booval mum-of-three, pleaded guilty in Ipswich Magistrates’ Court on May 17, 2023, to using a carriage service to menace, harass, or cause offence, along with breaching her bail conditions.

The court heard the harassment against the victim, Rockhampton woman Tahlia Brown, took place between September and December, 2022.

It is understood Ayling was in a relationship with Ms Brown’s defacto-husband when the couple separated briefly last year.

Then tensions came to a head last September, after Ms Brown’s daughter Taidyn ‘Totty’ Murphy drowned.

Taidyn was 17 months old when she drowned in a spa bath at her family’s Gracemere home while Ms Brown was at work. Ms Brown is not accused of any wrongdoing over the death.

Tahlia Brown with daughter Taidyn "Totty" Murphy.

The court heard Ayling contacted Ms Brown in the months following Taidyn’s death on various platforms including Facebook and Tik Tok, along with calling and texting her.

“There was generalised abuse calling her a slut, telling her to kill herself,” Mr Kinsella said.

“As part of your vendetta towards her, you also questioned why this child — the child that had been the subject of the drowning death — was left unattended.

“There were even suggestions made that it was ‘neglect’ on the part of the complainant.”

Court documents reveal that Ms Brown responded: “Don’t talk to me, I’ve got to bury my daughter”.

They further describe how Ayling harassed Ms Brown with Tik Tok videos, including one showing Ms Brown’s face with clown emoji’s over her eyes, and accompanying text: “Show me a photo of someone who lies about getting married”.

Court documents noted Ayling also indirectly referenced her in posts such as “When you finally see that one b***h in person, run c**t before I catch you”.

Another reads: “When a b***h wanna get cheeky so I send her my address and dare her to come”.

Mr Kinsella said Ayling was charged with the carriage service offence as a result of those comments, and that her bail conditions included a ban on her using the internet (with some exceptions for necessary and legitimate uses).

The court heard Ayling breached that condition by continuing to use social media platforms including Snapchat, Tik Tok and Facebook.

Supplied image of Taidyn "Totty" Murphy who drowned in the family spa.

Mr Kinsella said Ayling reached out to Ms Brown’s friends in an attempt to “undermine” Ms Brown.

Court documents reveal a conversation Snapchat conversation in which Ayling reached out to one of Ms Brown’s friends on December 31, 2022.

That friend provided screenshots of the conversation to police, in which she has Ayling’s nickname set as “Jessie evil s**t”.

Ayling started the conversation by saying: “Opp it’s Satan’s best friend!!!” and she later clarified she was referring to “Tahlia” (Ms Brown).

After the friend told her to stop messaging her, Ayling responded: “fyi I ain’t the bad one here babe. Well? Wanna screen shot but not chat. I know you’re dying to know the goss”.

Ayling also told the friend that Ms Brown would “throw [her] under the bus” and that Ms Brown “doesn’t even like [her]”.

Police prosecutor Nick Turnbull said Ayling’s behaviour was “utterly deplorable”.

“By the defendant’s own admissions, her behaviour was horrible, horrendous, petty, inappropriate and harassing.”

Defence lawyer Mickaela Brown said her client had struggled in the past with her bipolar disorder, but was in a relatively stable position currently.

She said Ayling was a single mother to three young children aged between three and 10 years old, and also assisted her mother who suffers from the rare blood clot disorder CVT.

Mr Kinsella commented that it was “just incredibly abhorrent” that Ayling had behaved as she had, given she herself was a mother.

Jessie Ayling, 31, leaving Ipswich Courthouse on May 17, 2023. Picture: Nicola McNamara

Defence lawyer Mickaela Brown said Ayling had acknowledged that her behaviour was the equivalent of “high school drama” and understood that she “simply needs to do better”.

“Without wanting to place blame on the victim, I am told that the online behaviour is one that went both ways.”

“[Ayling] has received various threats from friends of the victim who have said things — that they hope her children get cancer and die and ask where she lives so that they can attend her address.”

Court documents reveal Ayling responded to these threats by saying: “If you come here you are going to need homicide”.

They further note that Ayling changed her number at one stage after receiving hundreds of prank calls from a private number.

Ms Michaela Brown said her client was “embarrassed” to be in court and recognised “it’s not the type of example she wants to set for her children”.

The court heard Ayling ran a “very well established” online tarot card reading business, and aspired to gain qualifications to become a teacher's aid in future.

Mr Kinsella said Ayling also volunteered with the Coastal Blacks Rugby League Football Club, where he said she was “somewhat ironically” seen as a “role model”.

“To my mind, the offending which is before the court cannot be suitably described as childish or merely anti-social,” he said.

“It is disturbing, callous, and cruel conduct.”

Mr Kinsella sentenced Ayling to 12 months probation and ordered that she be of good behaviour for 12 months – or otherwise pay a recognisance of $1000.

No convictions were recorded.