Woman, 25, admits sending ‘malicious fart selfies’ in first of its kind case

A woman who sent her boyfriend’s ex a series of videos of her “smirking” as she passed wind ended up in court over the “petty” act.

A British woman who bombarded her boyfriend’s ex-partner with a series of videos showing her passing wind has defended her “petty” act after being slapped with a community order.

Rhiannon Evans, 25, pleaded guilty to pursuing a course of conduct amounting to harassment after sending the threatening messages to Deborah Prytherch via WhatsApp in December.

After being handed a two-year restraining order against contacting the victim and a 12-month community order, Evans admitted she had “regrets” but said she was shocked her behaviour had landed her in hot water.

“I never thought farting would land me in court. I think the sentence is a bit excessive and dramatic,” she told The Sun.

“We are living in a very ‘snowflake’ generation.

“I sent the messages on WhatsApp. I do have regrets, but I wouldn’t have thought I would be here for something like this, to be honest. It’s petty.

“I’ve learnt my lesson.”

Evans, who was said to have mental health problems, was also given 15 rehabilitation sessions, 60 days of alcohol abstinence monitoring and ordered to pay a fine, the BBC reports.

Rhiannon Evans was given a 12-month community order after sending her boyfriend’s ex a series of ‘fart selfies’. Picture: Andrew Price/View Finder Pictures

Prosecutors told magistrates that Evans, a shop worker, first sent an “inappropriate” video to Ms Prytherch in which she “proceeds to pass gas by placing the camera on her bottom and passing the gas” just before Christmas.

She sent three more “fart selfies” on 22 December, the court heard, and four more in the following days showing “Miss Evans passing wind, her face smiling at the camera”, magistrates heard.

Evans was warned by police after the messages were reported by Ms Prytherch, but she sent further messages on Boxing and New Year’s Day, Yahoo UK reports.

“She suggested she wanted to send videos because she felt her partner was being treated unfairly,” prosecutor Diane Williams said.

“It was purely malicious. She was smirking throughout, found it hilarious, but the victim didn’t.”

The court heard the 25-year-old was ‘smirking throughout, found it hilarious, but the victim didn’t’. Picture: Alamy

Ms Prytherch told the court in her victim impact statement she had reported harassment because she “would like to feel safe in my home”.

Harriet Gorst, defending, said: “There are some issues going on between Miss Evans’s partner and his ex-partner with regard to child contact.

“At the time she sent these videos she had some drinks and she sent them, understanding now this has caused the victim some distress.”

A probation officer said she had been in a relationship for two years and there was “bad blood” with her boyfriend’s ex-partner, The Sun added.

She allegedly hadn’t thought sending the videos was a criminal offence and the defendant questioned why she hadn’t been “blocked”, the court heard.

Evans must pay £100 (about $200 Australian dollars) compensation and £199 ($400) costs.

Described by several British media outlets as the “first ever cyber-farting case”, it has understandably garnered huge attention online.

One video about Evans crime has received almost 22,000 comments in 24 hours and earned 6.8 million views.

Originally published as Woman, 25, admits sending ‘malicious fart selfies’ in first of its kind case