Montanna Geyer: Mark Geyer’s daughter ‘broken’ by NRL Memes Tyrone May sex tape posts

The daughter of an NRL legend has revealed her horror at being wrongly named as the woman in a sex tape scandal that led to a current player being charged.

NRL legend Mark Geyer’s daughter screamed in shock when alerted to Facebook memes claiming she was the woman depicted in a sex tape that led to criminal charges against current player Tyrone May, a court has heard.

Montanna Geyer is suing the man she believes published the posts on NRL Memes and NRL Quality Memes on March 4, 2019, which left her feeling “completely broken”.

Fouad Ghosn, the defendant, denies he owned the now defunct pages that once boasted tens of thousands of rugby league fans as followers.

Montanna Geyer’s father Mark Geyer was ‘angry’ about the posts.

Roger Rasmussen, acting for Ms Geyer, told the District Court on Tuesday his client claims Mr Ghosn was responsible for two “widely published” posts shared on the day Penrith Panthers star May’s “notorious” sex scandal emerged.

“The bird in the Tyrone May video is Mark Geyer’s daughter. Happy days at Penrith,” the court heard one caption read.

Another showed a picture of Ms Geyer, taken from her Facebook profile, above a screenshot from the explicit video.

She was not the woman depicted in the video, the court heard, and claims her reputation has been greatly injured.

Montanna Geyer with brother Logan, and father Mark outside court. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Dylan Coker

Montanna Geyer said she has not been the same person since the posts were published.

Ms Geyer is seeking damages and claims the posts defamed her on six grounds, including that she was intimately involved in May’s sex scandal, that she was the woman in the video and that she was an “indecent and lewd person” who allowed May to film her during sex for the purpose of sharing with others.

“All of that is untrue, every last one of it,” Mr Rasmussen said. “And what you won’t hear in this case is a defendant trying to tell you that it’s true.”

Mr Rasmussen said the alleged imputations carried by the memes were “nasty and disgusting and there was never any basis for them”.

Ms Geyer, who was 22 at the time of the posts, told the court she was in her bedroom at the Geyer family house when a friend called to notify her of the first post on NRL Memes.

NRL player Tyrone May pleaded guilty to filming an intimate video without consent. Picture: AAP Image/Peter Rae

“As soon as I saw it I screamed, I literally screamed from pure shock,” she said.

“I ran down stairs to my family because I didn’t know what was going on. I was devastated … I was beside myself.”

She said the false allegations led to fears she would be sacked from her new job, and left her feeling “paranoid” and “overwhelmingly anxious” about leaving the house.

On one occasion she recalled a young man approaching her at a bar and saying: “I know who you are. You’re MG’s daughter. You’re the one from the video.”

Hundreds of people sent her messages and follow requests on social media after the posts went live, with some laughing at her, she said.

Fouad Ghosn, who denies responsibility for the posts.

Mr Ghosn with his barrister Jonathan Cohen (left). Picture: NCA NewsWire / Dylan Coker

Ms Geyer told the court she became the “punchline to a joke” among strangers, and believes she has become more reserved and self-conscious since the posts were published.

“No one should have to go through this and have to restore their reputation this way (in court). Because people shouldn’t be allowed to do this to people,” she said.

Her lawyers sent two letters to Mr Ghosn asking for an apology, which never came.

Panthers icon Mr Geyer gave evidence of hearing screams and seeing the “devastation” on his daughter’s face when she ran downstairs clutching her phone on March 4 last year.

Mark Geyer told the court his children are well known because he posts about them on social media. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Dylan Coker

He “couldn’t believe” what he was seeing and made phone calls to media figures Ray Hadley and Phil Rothfield for advice on how to “nip it in the bud” before the “mud sticks”.

The premiership winner posted on Facebook asking his followers who ran the NRL Memes page, and told the court “everybody who responded” said it was Fouad Ghosn.

“This is my daughter and the fact she was suggested as even being involved in it made me really angry,” he said.

Mr Rasmussen told the court witness Michael Ippaviz, who has since died, produced a statement including texts from Mr Ghosn in which he claims ownership for NRL Memes.

“I’ve owned NRL Memes since August 2012 and I f***ing created the page,” the court heard he said in texts.

“This all started because I was being a ‘biased Roosters admin’ and banning people from the page.”

The hearing continues.