A scorned woman who posted a topless photo of her ex-boyfriend’s new partner online in a failed extortion bid allegedly went back for seconds.
Stacey Burton, 22, faces a stint in jail after trying to extort a $5,200 ransom out of her love rival.
She had flown into a jealous rage after the father of one of her two children, Codie Carter, moved on with another woman.
Stacey Burton, 22, (pictured) flew into a jealous rage after the father of one of her two children, Codie Carter, moved on with another woman
The young woman from Ballarat in country Victoria sent a message to the new girlfriend with the warning that her friends would see ‘more than your ugly f**kin’ head’ on social media
Burton threatened the woman for seven months before following through and posting the image to Snapchat in October 2019.
She deleted the post half an hour later, but the damage was done and screenshots of the post spread like wildfire.
‘All the boys will be messaging her. People are screen-shoting her,’ one follower posted almost immediately.
On Monday, the County Court of Victoria heard the now mother of two had tried to avoid going to jail under false claims she was sorry for what she had done.
Burton had pleaded guilty to making an unwarranted demand with menace and intentionally distributing an intimate image.
Her barrister Naomi Low previously claimed Burton demonstrated genuine remorse for her actions by deleting the image shortly after she posted it.
But prosecutors have called ‘hogwash’ on Burton’s crocodile tears, claiming she threatened to post the image again a year after pulling it down.
In a comment allegedly sent by Burton to her ex months after she had been charged, police allege she again threatened to release the offending image.
‘It has been one year since I posted her nudes. Might do it again this year,’ she allegedly wrote.
It is further alleged that just last month, Burton took to Facebook to torment her victim’s mother.
Prosecutor Sam Davison alleged Burton questioned if her ex – whom she is now living with again – was indeed the father of her victim’s child.
‘It’s a somewhat vindictive comment clearly designed to antagonise the victim in that she suggests there may be any number of males that may be the actual father of that baby,’ Mr Davison said.
Stacey Burton (right) posted a nude image of her on-again-off again partner Codie Carter (left) after she failed to pay a ransom
Burton followed through with her threat in October 2019, but thought better of it and deleted the post half an hour later – but it was too late
The court heard Burton had offended in a similar fashion in her youth and had escaped on a good behaviour bond.
‘It initially involved a threat to slit the throat of the person over the phone. Then followed up with several comments on public Facebook social media postings,’ Mr Davison said of her prior offending.
While Burton does not dispute she made the cruel post to her victim’s mum, she denies sending the threatening text on October 11 last year.
The court heard police did not have enough evidence to charge Burton over the alleged October text.
Ms Low argued the allegation was not proven and ought not be taken into account at sentence.
But Judge Mark Gamble disagreed.
The matter will now become subject of a contested plea hearing later this month which will require both Burton’s ex and victim to again provide evidence before the court.
Burton, from Ballarat in country Victoria, had initially sent a message to her ex-partner’s new girlfriend in March 2019 warning that her friends would see ‘more than your ugly f**kin’ head’ on social media.
‘Give me my money back that Codie owes me,’ Burton also wrote.
The court heard the image had been supplied to Burton by her on-again-off-again lover himself.
Police caught up with Burton in January 2020, but she continued to carry out her vendetta.
The court heard Burton sent the woman abusive messages, including 35 on one day, through Facebook and Instagram.
In one message, she called the victim a ‘mutt’ alongside a photo of her and Mr Carter.
The court heard Burton’s children would likely be palmed off to her mum should she be locked up.
She had already lost her job with VicRoads after news of her crimes became public last week.
‘A term of imprisonment would be detrimental to her family situation,’ her barrister said.
‘Clearly it would be,’ Judge Gamble responded.
‘Quite often offenders who have to go into custody, even for the first time … have to suffer the consequences. As do members of their family.’
Burton hopes to walk free on a community corrections order where she would perform work on the outside.
Mr Davison said Burton had a desire for revenge and deserved an immediate term of imprisonment.
‘In this case, the image is still out there … and it’s having an ongoing impact on the victim,’ he said.
‘The prosecution submission is a that combination sentence composing of term of imprisonment with a community corrections order is warranted.’
