MAFS star in cop raid stoush
A former Married At First Sight star has opened up about why she is battling the Australian Federal Police in court, claiming she is still in the dark about why they raided her house and that she will seek damages if she wins her case.
Stacey Lee Hampton, speaking outside Federal Court in Adelaide on Wednesday, argued an AFP search of her house in September 2023 was unlawful and an “abuse of power” because the warrant was “too ambigu- ous”.
“On the search warrant, on its face, it’s quite vague so given that, it’s unlawful in terms because search warrants can’t be vague, they have to be quite clear on the allegation and the reason they are at your house, especially a commonwealth one,” she said.
Ms Hampton said the police had not released any material to her outlining the reasoning behind the raid.
“I haven’t received anything,” she said. “That’s why I tried to change the order today and we did, we got it.”
Ms Hampton asked the court that the AFP and Services Australia submit affidavits to her before she provides further evidence. Justice Patrick O’Sullivan ordered the AFP and Services Australia to submit affidavits by May 17.
Ms Hampton has two sons, Kosta and Kruz, who she shared with Rebels bikie boss Shane Smith, who died in a motorcycle crash in Adelaide in 2022.
She has not been charged with any crimes and there is no accusation of any wrongdoing on her part.
Ms Hampton said she had gone to the courts as a “matter of principle”.
“I haven’t been arrested and nothing has come from this,” she said.
If she wins her case, Ms Hampton said she would pursue damages against the government. “What’s that done to my mental health, my children’s health, also my work, being able to work,” she said. of Married at First Sight
Married at First Sight contestants widely criticised for behaviour in a recent episode claim less than “one per cent” is reality.
Gold Coasters Ellie Dix and Jonathan McCullough both say they would not repeat the experience.
The show involves marrying a stranger - and on Sunday’s episode the pair revealed they had become a couple after originally matching with other people on MAFS.
Sunday’s episode triggered abuse, trolling and negative reviews of a Gold Coast business which has Ms Dix on staff as a sub-contractor.
Threats of violence and threats to boycott Coastal Clinic Plastic Surgery at Southport and Aesthetics clinic at Varsity Lakes left the firms’ owner gutted. It opened in 2022, boasting a string of positive five star reviews online but practice owner and specialist plastic surgeon Dr Drew Cronin said all that had changed within hours of Sunday’s episode – trolls inundated Google with 13 one-star reviews.
Ms Dix and Mr McCullough say while their union is one of the few true things to air, tears from Mr McCullough’s onscreen partner Lauren Dunn had nothing to do with them not working out.
Mr McCullouch said he applied genuinely trying to find a partner, but claimed Ms Dunn didn’t share that goal.
“At the final dinner party before final vows she admitted she didn’t want a relationship with me and wanted to make an agreement to look after each other and make it as far as we can. I’ll give it to Lauren, she was honest.
“She told me, ‘Nobody actually comes here to find anyone,’ and I said, ‘Well I kinda did,’. She went, ‘Don’t lie – that’s pathetic’.
“She suggested we just look after each other, have a good time and enjoy the experience. I’m a big boy – I was completely in the agreement,” he said.
“I didn’t want to go home after three days, I wanted to see what it was like - it seemed like such an amazing adventure.”
Ms Dix and Mr McCullough - now living together on the Gold Coast said the show was “so distorted it’s not funny” revealing “not even one per cent” of Sunday’s episdode was real.
“It’s ridiculous,” Mr McCullough said. “We’ve got so much hate over something that isn’t even true.
“People are that mad about a TV show. Everyone knows they edit MAFS to the hills and they still believe it,” Mr McCullough said, adding in no way did he think he’d come across how he did on the show.
“I thought there was a possibility of looking bad in some way with an edit – but not evil and made to look like horrible, disgusting people,” he said.
“Married at First Sight really shouldn’t be able to put themselves in the category of reality TV,” Mr McCullough said.
“They should make a law that reality TV can’t be edited.”
“Ellie and I are one of only few amazing things to come out of this show and we went to the reunion together because we thought people would be happy for us.”
The pair said the experience was a “real kick in the guts”.
“We thought it was meant to be a love show and we found love but they go and make it look like a horrible thing,” Mr McCullough said. “It’s pretty poor form for a love show. They don’t care about love, they only care about creating drama.”
Channel 9 has been contacted for comment.