Breached protection order with Facebook messages

THE victim felt she had paid a high price for going out with the man. She noted he was an expert in communication — he having worked in that area — and aware of the power of his words, Judge Michael Crosbie said at a recent sentencing.

‘‘She thinks him a creep and far from a gentleman,'' the judge said.

Michael John Booth (58), of Dunedin, was before the Dunedin District Court convicted of a representative charge of breaching a protection order by engaging in family violence in posting personal information about the protected person on Facebook.

He had pleaded guilty.

The fact summary said the victim was Booth's former partner. The relationship ended about five years ago.

The charge Booth faced was from offending last year in which he posted on his Facebook profile lengthy narrative messages about his past relationship with the victim.

In one post he discussed intimate details about their sleeping arrangements. In another he discussed disagreements between himself and the victim.

Booth's Facebook profile was openly accessible to the public.

The victim was alerted to the posts by an associate.

Judge Crosbie said the probation report indicated Booth was reluctant to discuss the offending.

He described it as a truthful narrative of the relationship and said he was surprised to be charged.

Booth referred to himself as a published author, pointing out his articles had been in publications such as Australasian Penthouse, the judge said.

Booth, from the dock, said ‘‘Playboy magazine’’.

In Probation's view there was no demonstrable remorse, the judge noted.

Booth could only be seen as misogynistic, entitled and without willingness to gain insight into the impact of his actions on other people, the judge said. He had previous convictions for breaching a protection order and received prison on the last occasion.

Booth was sentenced to six months' home detention (with conditions including not to possess or use an internetcapable device without the prior approval and supervision of probation).

For any breach, the court's intention would be the remainder of the sentence be converted to prison, the judge said.