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Man who allegedly made online rape threats expected to plead not guilty Man who allegedly made online rape threats expected to plead not guilty
(about 17 hours later)
A Sydney man who allegedly made explicit rape threats on Facebook is expected to plead not guilty to a charge that carries a maximum penalty of three years in prison, as his accusers vow to continue campaigning against the online abuse of women.A Sydney man who allegedly made explicit rape threats on Facebook is expected to plead not guilty to a charge that carries a maximum penalty of three years in prison, as his accusers vow to continue campaigning against the online abuse of women.
Related: A man lost his job for harassing a woman online? Good | Van BadhamRelated: A man lost his job for harassing a woman online? Good | Van Badham
Zane Alchin, 25, of Caringbah was charged with using a carriage service – in this case, the internet – to menace, harass or offend after posts to Facebook he made in August, in which he allegedly threatened rape.Zane Alchin, 25, of Caringbah was charged with using a carriage service – in this case, the internet – to menace, harass or offend after posts to Facebook he made in August, in which he allegedly threatened rape.
Alchin allegedly committed the offence during a Facebook feud sparked when one of his friends shared a screenshot of a woman’s Tinder profile to his page with a derogatory caption.Alchin allegedly committed the offence during a Facebook feud sparked when one of his friends shared a screenshot of a woman’s Tinder profile to his page with a derogatory caption.
Olivia Melville, a 23-year-old Sydney resident, quoted the Canadian rapper Drake in her Tinder bio: “Type of girl that will suck you dry and then eat some lunch with you.”Olivia Melville, a 23-year-old Sydney resident, quoted the Canadian rapper Drake in her Tinder bio: “Type of girl that will suck you dry and then eat some lunch with you.”
Chris Hall shared the screenshot to his personal Facebook page with the comment “Stay classy ladies. I’m surprised she’d still be hungry for lunch.”Chris Hall shared the screenshot to his personal Facebook page with the comment “Stay classy ladies. I’m surprised she’d still be hungry for lunch.”
Word of this got back to Melville, who shared Hall’s post to her own Facebook page, criticising him for his “ignorance of Drake & good taste”.Word of this got back to Melville, who shared Hall’s post to her own Facebook page, criticising him for his “ignorance of Drake & good taste”.
Heated arguments between Hall, Melville and their individual Facebook groups escalated with a number of posts, which are the subject of the allegations, from Zane Alchin, several of which were targeted at Hall’s friend Paloma Brierley Newton. Heated arguments between Hall, Melville and their individual Facebook groups escalated with a number of posts, which are the subject of the allegations, from Zane Alchin, several of which were targeted at Melville’s friend Paloma Brierley Newton.
The posts that are the subject of the charges include: “I’ll give you my address if you like princess don’t eat before you come here though. You’ll be eating my cock till you puke,” and, “I’d rape you if you were better looking.”The posts that are the subject of the charges include: “I’ll give you my address if you like princess don’t eat before you come here though. You’ll be eating my cock till you puke,” and, “I’d rape you if you were better looking.”
Brierley Newton posted screenshots of the alleged abusers to her own Facebook page, vowing to take action against them.Brierley Newton posted screenshots of the alleged abusers to her own Facebook page, vowing to take action against them.
She took screenshots of the Facebook thread to the Newtown police on a USB drive, but she said they had seemed unsure of how to proceed – evidence of how ill-equipped law enforcement was to police online threats.She took screenshots of the Facebook thread to the Newtown police on a USB drive, but she said they had seemed unsure of how to proceed – evidence of how ill-equipped law enforcement was to police online threats.
“This is a precedent issue, and it’s a huge training issue,” she said. “The cops aren’t trained how to deal with this and that’s part of what we’re fighting for … I doubt that since the internet has become an aspect of our everyday lives they’ve had any different training, because it’s only been 20 years.”“This is a precedent issue, and it’s a huge training issue,” she said. “The cops aren’t trained how to deal with this and that’s part of what we’re fighting for … I doubt that since the internet has become an aspect of our everyday lives they’ve had any different training, because it’s only been 20 years.”
The police got in touch with Brierley Newton after she formed an advocacy group with friends, Sexual Violence Won’t Be Silenced, to petition the governments of New South Wales and Australia for more resources to tackle online harassment, which received media coverage. The group now has close to 10,000 followers on Facebook.The police got in touch with Brierley Newton after she formed an advocacy group with friends, Sexual Violence Won’t Be Silenced, to petition the governments of New South Wales and Australia for more resources to tackle online harassment, which received media coverage. The group now has close to 10,000 followers on Facebook.
Alchin was charged with using a carriage service to menace in late October, which carries a maximum jail sentence of three years. He appeared before the Newtown local court a week later, when he indicated he would enter a plea of guilty.Alchin was charged with using a carriage service to menace in late October, which carries a maximum jail sentence of three years. He appeared before the Newtown local court a week later, when he indicated he would enter a plea of guilty.
He appeared again on Tuesday, but the case was adjourned until 12 January, at which point in time his lawyer indicated that he would plead not guilty.He appeared again on Tuesday, but the case was adjourned until 12 January, at which point in time his lawyer indicated that he would plead not guilty.
Newton said she had noticed a renewed commitment to confronting threats of violence against women in recent weeks, in which the journalist Clementine Ford was applauded for reporting an online abuser to his employer.Newton said she had noticed a renewed commitment to confronting threats of violence against women in recent weeks, in which the journalist Clementine Ford was applauded for reporting an online abuser to his employer.
“I think more and more people are understanding the importance of standing up … even noticing the change from when we started this movement four months ago in the way it’s being reported now.”“I think more and more people are understanding the importance of standing up … even noticing the change from when we started this movement four months ago in the way it’s being reported now.”