Charge after rape victim allegedly outed on social media

A woman is facing allegations she posted the name and details of a rape victim on social media on the same day the man responsible for the attack – a Taranaki Black Power president – was found guilty of the crime.

Last month, Dennis Craig Weston was found guilty of the May 2016 rape and indecent assault of a woman, following a four-day trial in the New Plymouth District Court.

Weston is the president of the Stratford chapter of Black Power and the victim was the long-term partner of one of his gang prospects.

A 25-year-old woman, from Hamilton, is due to appear in court on Thursday, where she faces a charge of breaching a court suppression order.

Court documents show the woman is alleged to have published the name and details of Weston’s victim on Facebook between June 14-16. June 14 is the day the verdicts were delivered in the case.

Publishing details like this is against the law, as the court provides automatic suppression of a sex abuse victim’s name and identifying details.

There were tense scenes at court after the jury delivered its unanimous verdicts at Weston’s trial, including an angry outburst from one person seated in the packed public gallery.

The court heard how on May 23, 2016, the 57-year-old confronted the woman at an Eltham address in South Taranaki and groped her, before he raped her in one of the rooms. After the attack, Weston then called the woman ‘‘Black Power property’’.

The victim gave evidence at the trial, where she said Weston referred to her as his ‘‘dirty little secret.’’

The victim’s partner, who was Weston’s prospect, also gave evidence.

He told the court his partner eventually disclosed the rape to him and he had encouraged her to go to the police.

He told the court he believed his partner had been reluctant to tell him as she was worried about where his loyalty laid – with her or the gang. The man, who cannot be named in order to protect the victim’s identity, told the court he had since given up prospecting.

Weston, who was remanded into custody, will be sentenced on August 2.