‘Manipulative’ trick to net photos

Purporting to be a woman, the accused claimed he needed footwear images for an art project. They ended up on fetish websites – a ‘‘huge violation of privacy’’, says the victim. reports.

“Hey, haha, can I ask a really random question?”

The message, sent over Facebook Messenger in November to a Wellington woman, was truly random and, as it turned out, sinister.

Purporting to be from one Ella Brookes, it was seeking help for an art project.

“Sorry, this probably sounds so random, but I’m having to ask 50 people for it, so I’m literally going around asking everyone, haha.”

For the so-called branding and diversity assignment, Brookes’ message said she wanted pictures of shoes.

It’s believed the messagewas one of perhaps dozens sent over the past few years by Palmerston North man Malachai Scott Roger Wylie.

The 23-year-old is charged with two counts of behaving in an offensive manner in the city’s Number One Shoes shop, where he was an employee, and one of theft, for taking a customer’s shoe insole.

Wylie’s online footprint spread further and messages from fake online profileswould solicit pictures of shoes from women, using the pretence of an imminent study deadline.

Without their permission, the pictures were then posted on shoe fetish websites, sometimes with pictures of the women too.

The woman he messaged last year had previously lived in Palmerston North and at one time attended lectures with Wylie at Massey University.

As Stuff revealed this week, Wylie went on placements at Manawatu¯ high schoolswhen at teachers’ college in 2020.

Despite some reservations the woman agreed to help, noting Brookes’ profile had two friends in common with her.

But she asked for a description of the project and if they’d met before.

The reply came: “Yeah, absolutely I can do that! I’ll have to send it to you on Monday when I go back to UCOL [polytech] because it’s in a handbook I have in my locker.

“Haha, yeah, sorry I know it’s really random. I know of your name, but I don’t know if we have met, sorry, and just because I’m so far behind I’ve gotten so desperate, haha.

‘‘I thought I’d just give it a go.” Wylie was not studying at

UCOL. As the conversation continues, he sends examples of how he’d like the shoe photos to look.

‘‘Sorry to be so picky. I’m just trying to keep the photos the same as much as possible for consistency, haha.’’

The woman sent Wylie pictures of her shoes and, at his request, insoles.

‘‘Thank you so much for all your help,’’ he replied.

‘‘Honestly, you’ve been absolutely amazing!!’’

The woman only discovered pictures of her shoes had been posted online without her knowledge when the allegations against Wylie were reported this week.

A picture of her, publicly available on the internet as her Facebook profile, was also posted to the sites.

The woman told Stuff she was ‘‘spun a massive yarn’’ by Wylie, but she believed by the way he wrote his messages she was talking to a 20-yearold female.

‘‘I look back on it now and it’s very manipulative,’’ the woman said.

‘‘It’s just a huge violation of privacy, because it has this sexual element.

‘‘He’s dishonestly obtained these images, not only for his own pleasure, but for the pleasure, I’m guessing, of thousands of other people on those Facebook pages.’’

The woman said Wylie’s actions left her feeling silly, gross and disgusted.

‘‘I just feel like everything he did was so calculated.’’

The woman contacted police this week, but was told yesterday they wouldn’t be laying charges about the fake profiles eliciting shoe pictures.

A police spokeswoman said: ‘‘Police can confirm that some matters reported to police in relation to this case have not resulted in charges being laid, as they do not meet the threshold for criminal prosecution. However, where reports have concerned possible inappropriate social media contact, police have actively been working with Netsafe to find and remove content where possible.’’ Wylie appeared in the Palmerston North District Court last month and is due to apppear again this month.

When approached this week, he declined to comment.