A barrister who’s suing A Present Affair over its reporting of a custody dispute over a prized cavoodle was ‘shattered’ after movie crews ‘ambushed’ her whereas strolling the beloved canine, a court docket has been informed.
Pals and accomplices of Gina Edwards, a adorned Sydney barrister, gave proof of how her character modified following the experiences in mid-2021.
The broadcasts centred on a custody dispute involving an Insta-famous cavoodle referred to as Oscar, who was taken care of by Ms Edwards, her husband Ken Flavell, and a good friend, Mark Gillespie, as a part of a shared custody association.
Ms Edwards is suing A Present Affair and one in every of its journalists, Steve Marshall, over two broadcasts she claims falsely implied she was a thief who stole Oscar.
She additionally claims they falsely implied she exploited the canine for monetary profit and ‘intentionally’ tried to delay civil court docket instances.
Gina Edwards (left, pictured along with her barrister Sue Chrysanthou) is suing A Present Affair over two experiences centred round a custody dispute over prized, Insta-famous cavoodle Oscar
Ms Chrysanthou claimed in court docket that A Present Affair ‘lied’ by making a confrontation between Ms Edwards and Mark Gillespie (pictured) at a canine park seem like a conicidence
Ms Edwards desires the tales faraway from the web and 9’s archives, in addition to cost for the harm incurred.
9 has denied defaming Ms Edwards, saying the imputations of theft and stealing weren’t conveyed.
On Tuesday, Valerie Roach mentioned she thought of Ms Edwards ‘heat, hospitable and really beneficiant’ earlier than the published.
The court docket was informed the cavoodle would stick with Mr Gillespie’s prolonged household in Wingello – within the Southern Highlands of NSW whereas he was away ‘for months and months’ for work.
Ms Roach mentioned each 5 to 6 weeks she would assist ferry Oscar between Sydney and Wingello attributable to Mr Gillespie’s contract being prolonged, the court docket was informed.
She mentioned the cavoodle at all times appeared well-groomed whereas staying with Ms Edwards however when she picked him up, he seemed ‘pretty scrappy’ and thinner.
‘It was apparent after I introduced it house to them (Ms Edwards and Mr Flavell),’ she mentioned.
In cross-examination, Ms Roach was quizzed on her observations of Oscar, together with the canine’s weight being in an ‘acceptable’ vary.
‘I am not a vet, I can not touch upon that,’ she replied.
On Monday, Ms Edwards’ barrister Sue Chrysanthou SC mentioned A Present Affair ‘lied’ by making a confrontation between Ms Edwards and Mr Gillespie at a canine park seem like a coincidence.
The court docket was informed Oscar the Cavoodle (pictured) would stick with Mr Gillespie’s prolonged household in Wingello – within the Southern Highlands of NSW whereas he was away ‘for months’ for work
Ms Edwards (pictured with Oscar the Cavoodle) claims A Present Affair falsely implied she was a thief who stole the canine from Mr Gillespie, who bought the pup in 2016
She claimed, as an alternative, that Mr Marshall and Mr Gillespie had in reality been staking out Ms Edwards at her home for hours earlier.
On the day the confrontation was filmed, Ms Roach gave proof {that a} distressed Ms Edwards phoned her and mentioned: ‘Mark has Oscar’.
‘I lunged at Oscar… I ended up with a starring function on this broadcast,’ she mentioned.
Ms Roach mentioned the Ms Edwards was ‘completely shattered’ – showing pale, shaky and ‘concurrently frozen on the spot’.
‘She mentioned she felt embarrassed, humiliated… very, very upset,’ Ms Roach informed the court docket.
9’s barrister Dauid Sibtain (pictured far proper) together with his authorized crew exterior court docket
‘She was so assured beforehand in any scenario, however now if anybody comes up too shut or comes up behind her it makes her really feel bodily sick and really frightened.
Uniting Church reverend James Aaron additionally gave proof, recalling Mr Gillespie speaking a few ‘co-parenting’ association with Oscar at a Halloween occasion.
He mentioned he by no means heard Mr Gillespie discuss with Ms Edwards and her husband as ‘dog-sitters’ whereas they had been at occasions like barbecues and vacation celebrations collectively.
He mentioned he solely turned conscious of the dispute surrounding Oscar’s care in mid-2019.
‘I got here to Gina’s home, she and Ken had been upset,’ Mr Aaron mentioned.
‘I heard her say she felt threatened by Mark, that he had misplaced his mood … she had mentioned he was jealous of how a lot Oscar had cherished her and the way he had constantly hung round her and Ken once they had been collectively.
Mr Gillespie was ‘pissed off’ with Ms Edwards and the extent of communication between the trio however he didn’t ‘extrapolate’ a lot else, Mr Aaron mentioned.
Mr Aaron mentioned gave proof he additionally took Oscar right down to Wingello at instances, noticing he returned at instances with ‘tattered fur’ and was skinnier.
‘He was actually excited to return with us – I do not know if it was as a result of he missed Gina, however I did not really feel comfy with how he was being handled,’ Mr Aaron mentioned.
The listening to continues.
