Manly star Manase Fainu avoids criminal conviction for filming woman during sex
A STAR Manly Sea Eagles player who filmed himself having sex with a woman against her wishes has escaped a criminal conviction, instead the hooker was handed a 12 month good behaviour bond.
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A STAR Manly Sea Eagles player who filmed himself having sex with a woman against her wishes has escaped a criminal conviction.
The case against Manase Fainu was heard in Fairfield Local Court on Tuesday after he pleaded guilty to intentionally recording an intimate image without consent.
The court was told the 19-year-old was having consensual sex with the woman when he began filming themselves on Instagram on April 5.
Fainu quickly deleted the video when asked, but the woman later went to police to make a formal complaint.
In sentencing, Magistrate Richard Funston found Fainu guilty of the offence but decided not to convict him.
Instead, the hooker was placed on a good behaviour bond for 12 months.
He will be dragged back before the court if he does not comply with its conditions.
The NRL is aware of the outcome in court this week. Fainu continued to play games despite the charge.
NRL spokesman Peter Grimshaw said the sporting body would make a formal response this week.
“We’ll consider the penalty and whether we need to take any further sanctions in coming days,” Mr Grimshaw said.
The Seal Eagles have been contacted for comment.
Forward Joel Thompson previously said the charge against Fainu had added to “a bit of a nightmare” season for the Northern Beaches club.
“It’s been a bit of a nightmare,” Thompson said.
“But we move forward and we keep improving and make sure things don’t happen again and repeat and we start making sure the culture is strong.
“It’s easy for people to sit back and bag us but we’ve got a good group here and these things happen.
“You learn from them. That’s how you go and move forward.
“We’ve got to do that and keep improving ourselves as a team and a club and we are. We’re working really hard.”
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