Influencer meets fate after raping 14-year-old boy

A social media influencer is jailed for sexually assaulting a 14-year-old boy twice in one night and telling him: “You’re a man now”.

The 46-year-old woman, who cannot be identified, was found guilty of two counts of aggravated sexual intercourse with a child under 16 following a trial in October last year.

A jury concluded that she drunkenly climbed into bed with the teenager one evening in mid-2021 before engaging him in oral and penetrative sex.

On Friday, the New South Wales District Court heard the influencer would be sentenced to prison for sexually abusing the minor twice in one evening.

Her lawyer Phillip Boulten SC asked Judge Sarah Hopkins to grant the woman a longer period of probation so she can receive treatment for her mental health problems and alcohol abuse.

During the trial, the 46-year-old woman admitted that she struggled with alcohol abuse.

She admitted drinking a bottle and a half of wine on the night of the sexual assault, but the 14-year-old victim estimated she drank twice that amount.

Mr Boulten told the court that his client had previously drunk heavily because she had “very significant mental health problems”.

The court heard the influencer had previously sought treatment for an eating disorder, an anxiety disorder and an adjustment disorder.

On Friday, forensic psychologist Stephen Woods told the court that the 46-year-old also met the criteria for a diagnosis of borderline personality disorder.

He noted that she exhibited symptoms such as “attention-seeking” behavior, “a fragile sense of self,” loss of inhibitions, a history of “highly dysfunctional relationships,” and substance abuse.

After drinking so much wine on the night of the rape, Professor Woods said her symptoms were “severe”.

“Her level of intoxication at night would have contributed to disinhibition of her personality disorder and poor impulse control,” he said.

“The two are intertwined.”

Prosecutor Emma Blizard questioned whether the symptoms noted were due to an alcohol use disorder, as another doctor had previously diagnosed.

Professor Woods agreed that there is an overlap, as people with borderline personality disorder often develop a substance use disorder.

The court was told he diagnosed the 46-year-old woman after a single consultation and without access to the majority of her psychological reports.

Ms Blizard said the lack of corroborating evidence and reliance on the perpetrator’s statements cast “serious doubt” about his conclusion.

“The diagnosis of borderline personality disorder depends entirely on what (the influencer) told Professor Woods,” she said.

“The majority of the information came from the perpetrator and in circumstances where her credibility is crucial this must contribute to the validity (of the diagnosis).”

The court heard the woman gave Professor Woods a different version of the night of the rape to the one she gave during her trial, which was rejected by the jury.

“It must have been the jury’s verdict that she lied under oath,” Ms. Blizard said.

The 46-year-old admitted kissing her 14-year-old victim but continues to deny any sexual activity.

The jury accepted that she had oral sex with the teenager before having penile-vaginal sex with him in three different positions.

In a legally intercepted phone call with the victim after the rape, the influencer laughingly admitted that she was “attracted” to the teenager.

“You are a man now. You’re not a boy, you’re obviously a man,” she told him.

Professor Woods noted that there was nothing to suggest the influencer had “paedophilic” tendencies and that she would not pose a danger to other young people in the future.

Maintaining her sobriety is “critical” to her being able to avoid further crime, he told the court.

The psychologist said the shame, humiliation and remorse she suffered as a result of her sexual assault on the 14-year-old victim prevented her from reoffending.

Mr Boulten said the influencer was currently in protective custody due to “her profile and the offenses she has committed”.

The 46-year-old will hear the length of her sentence in the NSW District Court next month.