Tim Paine fallout: Woman at centre of sexting scandal to face court
The woman caught up in the scandal which cost Tim Paine the Australian captaincy is set to fight theft charges.
Cricket
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The 47-year-old woman at the centre of the Tim Paine sexting scandal is set to plead not guilty to accusations of stealing thousands of dollars, during a two-day court hearing in January.
The former Cricket Tasmania receptionist is accused of stealing cash and memberships worth thousands of dollars from the organisation, but is expected to fight the claims at Hobart Magistrates Court on January 20-21.
The woman has on previous occasions pleaded not guilty to 63 counts of stealing and two counts of dishonestly acquiring a financial advantage.
She appeared on phone link with her lawyer Greg Barns in April, and was due for another court mention on May 31, but the original court date set for September was moved due to Covid border restrictions.
It is alleged the woman fraudulently obtained a $705 Cricket Tasmania junior and platinum membership, a $339 Hobart Hurricanes family membership, and stole $1942 in cash.
Paine quit as Australian Test captain last Friday after lewd text messages he sent to the woman — 10 years his senior — were revealed by News Corp.
The Tasmanian’s brother in law Shannon Tubb lost his job at Cricket Tasmania over an explicit text message exchange he also shared with the same woman.
The woman, who was a resident of Hobart, is now understood to live interstate ahead of her court date set for early in the new year.
At the court appearance back in April, Chief Magistrate Catherine Geason heard from Mr Barns that the woman was battling health problems and may need surgery.
Back in June, 2019 the Hobart Mercury reported that the prosecutor told the court police had decided further investigation was needed in relation to allegations of “$11,000-$13,000 worth of fraudulent … conduct” by the woman at Cricket Tasmania.
The case has been adjourned many times since it first went to court in July 2018, after the woman had repeatedly not appeared.
She had provided the court with medical certificates and letters from a psychologist.
Reports in 2019 indicated up to six witnesses may be called to give evidence when the hearing does take place.
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