A Dunedin “influencer\u201d who livestreamed accusations that her midwife was killing babies left the victim in disbelief, a court has heard.<\/p>\n
Elana Jane Robins, 32, appeared in the Dunedin District Court this afternoon after admitting a charge under the Harmful Digital Communications Act.<\/p>\n
She was sentenced to 12 months\u2019 supervision and Judge David Robinson said he would not ban the defendant from TikTok \u2013 the platform on which she made the allegations – but she was barred from making any further online comments about the victim.<\/p>\n
All professionals had was their reputation, and it could \u201ceasily be destroyed by a keyboard warrior\u201d, he said.<\/p>\n
The court heard Robins\u2019 baby died in a late stage of pregnancy and she blamed her midwife for the stillbirth, claims that were being investigated by regulatory bodies.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is a tragic situation, both for Ms Robins and her midwife,\u201d counsel Rhona Daysh said.<\/p>\n
On August 5, the defendant was livestreaming on TikTok under her username MISSYEViiLxx.<\/p>\n
Robins has 68,000 followers on the platform and 250 people were watching live as she showed the former midwife\u2019s website biography to the camera. \u00a0<\/p>\n
“Over 15 years of being a piece of s…,\u201d the defendant commented.<\/p>\n
“She\u2019s out here un-aliving babies.”<\/p>\n
TikTok users use the term “un-aliving” instead of “killing” to avoid their videos or accounts being disabled. \u00a0<\/p>\n
Robins finished reading the website information and responded to a comment from a viewer. \u00a0<\/p>\n
“Oi, and I\u2019ve got her address too \u2014 that\u2019s what\u2019s dangerous, bro,” she replied. \u00a0<\/p>\n
“You wait til this autopsy comes back, girl . . . honestly [midwife] you\u2019re going to have to hide real bad.” \u00a0<\/p>\n
The court heard the victim was \u201cdistressed, scared, and in disbelief\u201d, when she heard about the video.<\/p>\n
\u201cOnce something\u2019s on the internet, it tends to be out there forever,\u201d Judge Robinson told Robins.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere was a real potential for a vast pool of people to be influenced by what you had said.\u201d<\/p>\n
The judge said Robins\u2019 comments appeared to be \u201ccalculated\u201d but he bore in mind the suffering she was enduring at the time.<\/p>\n
The defendant had written an apology letter to the victim and Judge Robinson believed her remorse was genuine.\u00a0<\/p>\n