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Seven reporter on 12 months bond

Sunday Night reporter Rahni Sadler has been put on a 12-month bond after pleading guilty to illegally communicating with a convicted killer in the Northern Territory.

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Sunday Night reporter Rahni Sadler has been put on a 12-month good behaviour bond after pleading guilty to illegally communicating with a convicted killer in the Northern Territory.

AAP reports the Seven journalist had been expected to go to trial tomorrow in the Darwin Magistrates Court, but the matter was brought forward when she unexpectedly decided to plead guilty.

Sadler’s story in July last year on the 2001 murder of English traveller Peter Falconio included audio of convicted killer Bradley John Murdoch in a phone conversation with former lawyer Andrew Fraser.

But communicating with a prisoner can carry a maximum penalty of two years in jail or a fine of $2329.

Her lawyer, John Lawrence, said Sadler sought legal advice from her employer who told her that because she was speaking from another jurisdiction it was legal.

The court issued Sadler with a 12-month good behaviour bond but did not record a conviction against her.

Charges were initially also laid against the Seven Network and Fraser but were later dropped, because Fraser is suffering from a terminal illness.

Fraser is also dramatised in the miniseries Killing Time, which coincidentally will soon screen on Seven.

4 Responses

  2. Yet another example of why we need a real media “watchdog” in this country. I am more than happy for it to be ACMA, but its powers need to be immediately increased and any penalties it makes should be binding. It also needs to be larger (as in more employees) so that it can deal with issues quicker.

    For too long in this country, the media has been allowed to get away with far too much crap. Reporting on “suspicions” or “rumour” rather than facts. Avoiding apologising or making reparations when they (often) get things wrong. Or simply making things up to suit themselves.

    It is time it was stopped.

  3. What an absolute Joke.

    Typical bloody media break the f(censored), time after time after,

    The book should have been thrown at her, and she should have got jail time.

    what a f(censored) disgrace

  4. This “Her lawyer, John Lawrence, said Sadler sought legal advice from her employer who told her that because she was speaking from another jurisdiction it was legal.”

    I have to wonder if that employer actually took legal advice? I must admit I am a tad surprised that 7 wasn’t taken to task.

    I don’t have legal training but common sense would dictate that just because ‘you’ are not in the jurisdiction, that where the other parties and the main thrust of communication, IS, that you would need to back off. Networks have legal teams to advise them…what happened here? (rhetorical).

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