The bookworm who tried to bring down the PM's daughter: Library assistant fronts court after leaking Frances Abbott's $60,000 scholarship files 

  • Freya Newman, 21, pleaded guilty to accessing files with details of Frances Abbott's $60,000 Whitehouse Institute of Design scholarship
  • The Sydney journalism student then handed information to journalists
  • Newman's sentencing was adjourned by the Magistrate until November 25
  • A number of supporters gathered outside court holding signs of support for Newman saying #FreeFreya and #ProtectWhistleblowers 
  • Her lawyer told the court she would 'continue to suffer the consequences of her actions for the rest of her life' 

By Emily Crane for Daily Mail Australia and Aap

Published: | Updated:

A university student who admitted leaking restricted details of a scholarship awarded to Prime Minister Tony Abbott's daughter will have to wait another month to find out her fate.

Freya Newman, 21, pleaded guilty on September 18 to accessing restricted data held in a computer after she obtained details about a $60,000 Whitehouse Institute of Design scholarship granted to Frances Abbott.

Ms Newman, who studies communications at the University of Technology Sydney, then handed the information to journalists.

She was due to be sentenced on Thursday, but Magistrate Teresa O'Sullivan adjourned her sentencing until November 25 after submissions from the defence and prosecution.

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Ms Newman was 20 and working as a casual library assistant at the Whitehouse Institute of Design when she leaked the documents

Freya Newman, 21, appeared at Sydney's Downing Centre Court on Thursday for hacking a computer to leak details about Frances Abbott's $60,000 scholarship at the Whitehouse Institute of Design

Newman, who studies communications at the University of Technology Sydney, pleaded guilty in September to accessing restricted data. She then handed the information to journalists

Newman, who studies communications at the University of Technology Sydney, pleaded guilty in September to accessing restricted data. She then handed the information to journalists

Ms Newman's lawyer Tony Payne SC, who was representing her for free, asked the Magistrate not to record a conviction.

'Freya suffered and continues to suffer the consequences for the rest of her (life),' he told the Downing Centre Local Court on Thursday.

He said the 21-year-old suffered anxiety due to the media attention the case had attracted and added that future jobs and travel would potentially be affected if a conviction was recorded.

'A sense of injustice motivated Ms Newman, not greed or a desire for notoriety or to embarrass Ms Abbott,' Mr Payne said. 

'She was not aware that her actions were against the law or that her identity would become known.' 

The prosecution agreed the offence wasn't done for personal gain or notoriety but out of a sense of social justice and public interest.  

Newman pleaded guilty in November to accessing the files about a $60,000 Whitehouse Design Institute scholarship given to Prime Minister Tony Abbott's daughter Frances (pictured) in 2011

Newman accessed the files about a $60,000 Whitehouse Design Institute scholarship given to Prime Minister Tony Abbott's daughter Frances in 2011

The Hunters Hill woman was a casual library assistant at the fashion and design college where Ms Abbott studied and used her position to access information about her enrolment.

Ms Newman used the log-in and password of another staff member on May 20 to access Ms Abbott's details through the student record system, according to court documents.

The documents allege she then emailed two other employees at the private design school saying '... there's a bit about Frances meeting with Leanne J, the CEO of Whitehouse Institute on February 21, 2011 and then receiving a Managing Director's Scholarship three days later'.

'Got em. Might go meet Chris now to talk tactics.'

The following day, a story headlined Leaked Documents Cast Doubt on Abbott's $60,000 Scholarship Claims was published on news website New Matilda written by Chris Graham.

Newman, who lives in Hunters Hill, was a casual library assistant at the college where Ms Abbott studied

Newman, who lives in Hunters Hill, was a casual library assistant at the college where Ms Abbott studied

Ms Newman used the log-in and password of another staff member on May 20 to access Ms Abbott's details through the student record system, according to court documents

Ms Newman used the log-in and password of another staff member on May 20 to access Ms Abbott's details through the student record system, according to court documents

A handful of supporters were outside the court holding signs reading #FreeFreya ahead of her sentencing

A handful of supporters were outside the court holding signs reading #FreeFreya ahead of her sentencing

No sensitive data was accessed and no information about any other student was viewed during the 103 minutes Ms Newman was in the database, Mr Payne told the court. 

She also committed the offence in the full knowledge she was under CCTV surveillance, admitted what she had done to her employer and resigned the following day, he said.

But the prosecution argued a conviction should be recorded to deter anyone else from committing the offence.

Ms Newman's family and supporters were packed into the court room and rallied around the student as she left.

She faces a maximum penalty of two years in prison.

Groups voicing solidarity for Newman have sprung up on Facebook and a handful of supporters were outside the court holding signs reading #FreeFreya ahead of her sentencing. 

Outside, neither Ms Newman, her parents nor Mr Payne commented.

Ms Newman's will return to the same court on November 25. 

Newman later emailed two other employees at the college saying she had to meet Chris to talk tactics. The next day, a story was published on news website New Matilda written by Chris Graham

Newman later emailed two other employees at the college saying she had to meet Chris to talk tactics. The next day, a story was published on news website New Matilda written by Chris Graham

Groups voicing solidarity for the 21-year-old student have sprung up on Facebook

Groups voicing solidarity for the 21-year-old student have sprung up on Facebook

 

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