Woman faces charge for sending harmful digital communications to law student
Sunday 11 October 2026 · 3 outlets · 2 reports · updated 
A mother of two appeared in Manukau District Court this week regarding a representative charge of posting harmful digital communication. The defendant allegedly harassed a law student over a four-year period, which included messaging the student's grandmother and sending nude photos to her employer.
Key facts
3 facts
- A mother of two appeared in Manukau District Court for posting harmful digital communications
- Judge Mina Wharepouri declined applications for discharge without conviction and permanent name suppression
- The victim was a law student at the start of the four-year ordeal
The full story
1 min read · 2 outlets
A mother of two appeared in Manukau District Court this week facing a representative charge of posting harmful digital communication to a lawyer. The defendant sought a discharge without conviction and permanent name suppression, both of which were declined by Judge Mina Wharepouri. Name suppression remains in place until next week to allow for an appeal.
The harassment began after the victim, then a law student, had a two-week relationship with a man who was married but separated. Following the student's decision to sever ties, the defendant's sister sent messages calling her a "homewrecker". A month later, the defendant sent Instagram messages to the student.
Four years later, while the victim was practising as a lawyer, the cyberbullying resumed. The defendant sent messages to the lawyer's mother and grandmother, and commented on a public social media post belonging to the lawyer's grandmother. The lawyer suffered a panic attack due to the distress caused to her whānau.
The defendant also emailed the lawyer's boss with damaging allegations and two nude photos of the lawyer attached. This caused the lawyer extreme humiliation, insomnia, and required medication. Judge Wharepouri noted a message from the defendant to a friend showed a "gleeful celebration" of the harm caused.
Compiled from reports by Otago Daily Times and RNZ.