AceBreakingNews – A Sydney bartender who uploaded hundreds of digitally altered photos of women he knew to pornographic websites has been confronted by his victims about the impact of his crimes.
WARNING: This story contains content that readers may find distressing.
Ace Press News From Cutting Room Floor: Published: Jun.14: 2024: ABC Court News Report: TELEGRAM Ace Daily News Link https://t.me/YouMeUs2
Andrew Thomas Hayler, 38, pleaded guilty to 28 counts of using a carriage service to cause offence involving 26 women between July 2020 and August 2022, including his close friends, former housemates, colleagues, his best friend’s sister and family members.
In many instances, Hayler took photographs of his victims from social media accounts and superimposed their faces onto sexually explicit images, which he then uploaded to an Instagram account and pornography website with more than 300,000 members.
These were sometimes accompanied by graphic rape fantasies and descriptions of physical violence.
In captions accompanying a photograph of a woman who described Hayler as a “close friend”, he described a sexually explicit rape fantasy to be enacted over the “dumb slut”.
In some cases, Hayler also published identifying details including the women’s full names, occupations, the suburbs they lived in and links to their social media profiles.
At times he invited other users to publish comments detailing the ways in which they would like to assault the women.
In September 2020, he posted on Instagram a photograph of a family member and another woman with a caption asking users to choose one for a derogatory sexual act.
A photograph of another family member and three others in school uniforms were accompanied by the words: “It is up to us to turn them into our sluts, we need to force them to…”
Hayler sometimes used multiple accounts to reply to his own posts, creating the illusion of social engagement.
As he walked into the Downing Centre District Court on Thursday morning, the ABC asked Hayler how he felt about what he had done.
“I’m really, really sorry,” he replied.
“It was a dark part of my psychology that came out and manifested.”
Although Hayler was not formally sentenced, Judge Jane Culver indicated that she planned on imposing a term of imprisonment.
Hayler’s defence lawyer told the court her client had “said his goodbyes” and wished to begin his custodial sentence immediately.
Hayler ‘shattered my sense of safety’, victim says
Women Hayler targeted, along with their supporters, crowded into the courtroom during his sentence hearing.
Seven read their victim impact statements out loud, as Hayler sat motionless and subdued in the dock.
A former colleague, Jess Stuart, described the impact Hayler’s offending had on her other relationships.
“The effort it takes to trust anyone after your violation is immense,” she said.
“Forming new friendships feels impossible, burdened by the constant question ‘could this person be like you?'”
Ava Heinz told the court Hayler’s behaviour was deeply misogynistic and toxic.
“Your actions have desecrated cherished photos,” she said.
“I cannot understand how someone who is surrounded by such incredible women could hold so much hatred for them.”
One woman described the moment she first saw the online thread Hayler had created with her image and the heading “Let’s Rape [woman’s name]”.
“I remember my body reacting before my mind did … in one night, you shattered my sense of safety and trust in this world,” she told the court.
“The repercussions of your actions have reverberated.”
She said Hayler had deliberately targeted women who “refused to make themselves small”.
“You targeted us for our willingness to show up in this world fully … this does not sit well with a fragile sense of manhood … You sought refuge in the dark recesses of the internet, cloaked in the anonymity that it provided.”
Another woman said Hayler had been a guest at her wedding and stayed with her family after the two of them had attended a funeral together.
“I’ve been in what I can only describe as an extended state of shock”, she said.
‘I was living in this weird messed up fantasy’
After listening to the victim impact statements, Hayler took the stand and apologised for his offending.
“I have really done a terrible thing and I am so very sorry to them, their families, friends and work colleagues,” he told the court.
“It’s bigger than myself and them, it’s affected the community.
“I was living in this weird messed-up fantasy not thinking about the consequences of my actions.”
Hayler agreed that he chose “strong women” whom he found sexually attractive.
He said the activity had been an “outlet for part of [his] psyche [he] didn’t want to bring out in public”.
Hayler has been remanded in custody ahead of his formal sentencing on June 21.
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