Lincoln Lewis ‘catfisher’ hit with new stalking charges

A woman convicted of impersonating Home and Away star Lincoln Lewis to con victims online has been jailed after being hit with seven new charges.

A woman convicted of impersonating TV heartthrob Lincoln Lewis to “catfish” women on the internet faces fresh stalking charges.

Lydia Abdelmalek, 30, was on bail pending an appeal of her 2019 conviction for conning victims into believing she was the Home and Away star.

One woman took her own life in the wake of the traumatic case.

But Abdelmalek has now been jailed over seven new charges of stalking, assault, committing an indictable offence while on bail and using a carriage service to harass.

In a twist, the County Court on Thursday heard Abdelmalek presented evidence that showed the alleged victim that brought on the new charges had “lied to the police”.

Abdelmalek’s defence lawyer Sam Norton told the court the basis for the new charges were messages provided to police by the complainant.

But he said they had been “deleted” in a way that “presented this particular picture”.

“It’s material which fundamentally undermines the complainants account that’s been given to police for the new matters,” Mr Norton said.

“It’s pretty significant material — it demonstrates the complainant has lied to the police.”

Lydia Abdelmalek. Picture: AAP

He said he had asked police to withdraw the charges on the basis of the new evidence.

Abdelmalek was set to face Heidelberg Magistrates’ Court over the fresh allegations on Friday.

But because she breached her bail due to the latest accusations, she was sent to maximum security prison Dame Phyllis Frost Centre, where she phoned into the court from her cell.

Judge Trevor Wraight questioned whether the new case against Abdelmalek “may not go ahead”, to which Mr Norton replied, “Yes, Your Honour”.

Abdelmalek was handed a two year and eight month sentence in 2019 for stalking women over the internet, posing as the Aussie TV hunk.

But she immediately appealed the decision and was bailed, with the case stalled in the courts due to COVID-19 delays.

Her appeal was listed for a hearing in the County Court on June 15, where she would fight to clear her name of the Lewis catfishing charges.

Judge Wraight extended her bail in the County Court to her next hearing on May 17.

But Abdelmalek will remain in jail until the fresh case resolves in the Magistrates’ Court, which could be as early as Friday.

During the hearing, called to revoke Adelmalek’s appeal bail, her defence lawyer Sam Norton told the court the basis for the new charges were messages provided to police by the complainant.

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