Identity of woman who appeared on Channel 7 TV show to remain secret

A magistrate has ruled a woman charged with rape who appeared on a Channel 7 TV show cannot be named for fear she might self harm after blasting “dehumanising’’ coverage of the matter by rival program A Current Affair.

GHI appeared on a Channel 7 TV program. Picture: Craig Wilson

A magistrate has ruled a woman charged with rape who appeared on a popular Channel 7 TV show cannot be named for fear she might self harm after blasting “dehumanising’’ coverage of the matter by program A Current Affair.

Richlands magistrate Aaron Simpson’s decision on Monday morning, October 30, came as the woman’s partner faced Brisbane Magistrates Court for the first time on fresh charges.

The man, who also cannot be named, was charged with two counts each of torture and common assault and one charge each of observations or recordings in breach of privacy and assault occasioning bodily harm.

Mr Simpson’s ruling was scathing of coverage by Channel 9’s A Current Affair (ACA), saying it was “appalling’’ and had “dehumanised’’ the woman.

It also came after she attempted to self harm last month.

The high-profile case has been one of the first to put Queensland’s new sexual offence identification laws to the test and came after a Toowoomba magistrate last week permitted Bruce Lehrmann to be named over allegations of rape. He is expected to defend the charge.

Richlands Courthouse. Picture: AAP/John Gass

Mr Simpson said in the woman’s case that ACA confronted her in a public shopping centre car park on the same day her application for a non-publication order was being mentioned.

“Some of the on-camera and social media commentary connected with the reporting by the Nine Network program A Current Affair in September has been appalling and dehumanising to the defendant,’’ he said.

“Harassment of the defendant in the community by media has continued, including on the day the directions order was made by me in court.’’

Mr Simpson said a mental health assessment was done in the wake of the “unplanned and spontaneous’’ suicide attempt in September.

The psychiatrist who conducted the assessment concluded the woman, codenamed GHI, was a high risk of suicide despite support and medical interventions.

She told the psychiatrist she had had a panic attack after the car park incident.

“As a result of the confrontation the defendant feels unsafe entering the community to undertake general tasks and work,’’ Mr Simpson said in his ruling.

“Coupled with the knowledge that media personnel continue to approach her in a similar manner, the release of her identity to the broader public poses a significant destabilising factor upon her mental state...

“There would be few better examples of a special vulnerability of a defendant in my view.

“She is at risk of not being able to access her needed medical care if she is identified and feels forced to bunker down at home.

“She is at risk of making a life-ending decision if confronted with any more adverse reporting naming her in this case.’’

The woman's partner appeared in Brisbane Magistrates Court.

Mr Simpson said at a hearing into the matter on October 6 that other media, including The Courier-Mail, had reported on the case responsibly.

He said had ACA’s actions not happened, the media would have had a stronger case to lift the non-publication order.

Mr Simpson said he took into account the principles of open justice and the public interest as well as the views of the complainant, who has said they wanted the defendant’s name published.

He also took into account that the defendant posted on social media about how she would “fight the fight’’, but noted that she made no direct references to her case.

“The simple fact is this defendant is in need of her safety being protected,’’ he concluded.

He enlarged her bail and set the matter down for committal mention on November 28 in Richlands Magistrates Court. GHI was not required to appear at that time.

Her partner has previous been charged with six counts of assault occasioning bodily harm allegedly committed between January 2006 and June 2008 and one count of assault occasioning bodily harm in company of another person on August 26, 2011.

The court heard the new charges ranged from 2004 to 2020.

Magistrate Michael Quinn ordered a brief of evidence be disclosed to the defence by December 4.

The matter was adjourned for mention on December 18.

The man, who was not required to appear, later attended the court registry to sign bail documents.

He declined to comment outside court.