Melbourne Woman Admits to Raping Date, Threatening Victim
A 35-year-old woman has pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including rape, following a disturbing incident with a man she met on Tinder. Stephanie Dadd-Zammit admitted to the charges in the Melbourne County Court on Thursday, just moments before her trial was set to commence with a jury already present.
Allegations of Coercion and Threats
Prosecutors detailed allegations that Dadd-Zammit sexually assaulted her date in September 2024. The pair had matched on the dating app and engaged in consensual intimacy on several occasions. However, the situation reportedly escalated after the victim expressed a desire to end the relationship.
A significant point of concern arose when the victim, after unprotected sex, requested Dadd-Zammit take the morning-after pill. She initially declined but later sent him a Snapchat photo of herself taking it. Court documents indicate Dadd-Zammit became upset upon discovering the victim maintained an active profile on Tinder, expressing disappointment that they sought different outcomes from their interactions.
The prosecution presented evidence of Dadd-Zammit’s erratic behavior leading up to the alleged assault. On September 6, 2024, she reportedly made 99 phone calls to the victim within a little over an hour. Prior to this barrage of calls, the victim allegedly received an audio message from a text-to-speech program. This message warned that Dadd-Zammit intended to “dox” him, threatening to expose his personal information online. The message also alluded to her unstable mental state and advised him to seek legal protection.
Deceptive Online Persona and Escalation
Further complicating matters, the victim received a text from an individual claiming to be ‘Anton,’ an ex-boyfriend of Dadd-Zammit’s. Investigations later revealed that Dadd-Zammit herself was operating under this alias. The ‘Anton’ persona issued warnings about Dadd-Zammit’s character but also encouraged the victim to engage with her, suggesting he would be rewarded. This deceptive tactic, designed to manipulate the victim, ultimately led him to Dadd-Zammit’s residence.
Upon arriving at his home, Dadd-Zammit, described as appearing intoxicated and angry, allegedly told the victim he had made a grave mistake. She proceeded to consume alcohol found in his pantry, making statements about experiencing a psychological ‘split,’ a term associated with conditions like borderline personality disorder, where individuals perceive situations in extreme, black-and-white terms.
Non-Consensual Sexual Assault
After consuming alcohol for nearly two hours, Dadd-Zammit reportedly insisted they go to the victim’s bedroom to talk. The victim stated he did not wish to engage in sexual activity. However, upon entering the bedroom, he found Dadd-Zammit naked. Despite his repeated attempts to refuse, including turning his head away from her advances, Dadd-Zammit allegedly threatened him, stating he would “see the real me and you will be f***ing scared” if he did not comply.
According to the prosecution’s account, Dadd-Zammit then physically restrained the victim, holding his arms and kneeling on his legs while he was lying prone, preventing him from moving. She then proceeded to commit a sexual act upon him. The victim, in distress, repeatedly pleaded for her to stop, stating he did not want to engage in the act. During the assault, the prosecution alleged Dadd-Zammit also applied pressure to the victim’s throat, tightening her grip each time he vocalized his refusal. The victim reported difficulty breathing and fear of further harm.
After the sexual assault, Dadd-Zammit allegedly stood over the victim and asserted her ability to “get what the f*** I want because I’m a f***ing narcissist.” When the victim questioned her actions through tears, she reportedly stated she could do “whatever she wanted and get away with it,” adding, “And the funny thing is, no one will believe you.” She then left the bedroom.
Victim’s Distress and Police Involvement
The victim, understandably shaken and in shock, remained awake until Dadd-Zammit passed out. He later contacted a friend, expressing he had a “huuuge problem” and was too afraid to ask Dadd-Zammit to leave. He then called emergency services, reporting that he feared for his safety, citing alleged threats from Dadd-Zammit to “bury” him and “ruin his life.”
Police arrived at the victim’s residence and found Dadd-Zammit asleep and naked in the victim’s bed. She reportedly told officers that the victim had ended their relationship and questioned if she had engaged in sex the previous night, attributing her actions to the ‘Anton’ contact and claiming her Gmail had been hacked.
Investigation and Subsequent Charges
Detectives later seized two mobile phones from Dadd-Zammit’s home, uncovering messages sent to the victim after he reported the incident. These messages reportedly contained derogatory language. Dadd-Zammit, who was employed at Crown Casino, initially denied the sexual offenses, attempting to portray ‘Anton’ as a real ex-boyfriend. She claimed to have “spiraled” and consumed excessive alcohol after not hearing from the victim for a period, stating she only remembered talking at his dining table before waking up to police presence.
She also admitted to using the Snapchat handle ‘chickenhead’ and expressed feeling “disappointed and hurt” by the victim’s rejection. Dadd-Zammit mentioned a diagnosis of borderline personality disorder, which she claimed led to dissociative episodes.
Dadd-Zammit’s bail was extended for a pre-sentence hearing scheduled for September 7.
