Tasmanian Woman Charged with Bestiality Offenses

Catherine June Lee, a 58-year-old woman from Tasmania, appeared in Hobart Magistrates Court facing charges related to a disturbing video allegedly showing her engaging in sexual acts with a live brown trout. She is charged under the Classification (Publications, Films and Computer Games) Enforcement Act with one count of possessing a bestiality product and two counts of making or reproducing such material between February 2022 and January 2023. Lee requested an adjournment without plea, which was granted until October. Her co-defendant, 55-year-old Ashley David Hallam, has similar charges and also has not yet entered a plea. The video, which gained international notoriety, has sparked significant public outrage and prompted police reminders about the criminality of possessing or distributing bestiality material. Both individuals were arrested in February 2023 as part of the investigation.