RYAN FURSE FROM LAUNCESTON SHAMES HIMSELF WITH INDECENT IMAGE POSTING ON INSTAGRAM

In March 2014, a serious incident unfolded involving Ryan Furse, an 18-year-old resident of St Johns Road in Launceston, who became the subject of legal proceedings after sharing an explicit image of a young girl on a popular social media platform. The incident drew significant attention from authorities and the court, highlighting the dangers and consequences of inappropriate online behavior.

According to court reports, Furse uploaded the indecent image to Instagram on October 9 of the previous year. The image depicted a girl, who cannot be named due to legal restrictions, engaged in a sexual act with a can of hairspray. The image was classified as Level 4 on the police’s scale for categorizing such material, with Level 5 being the most severe. The image remained online for at least 40 minutes before Furse removed it, but during that time, it was 'tagged' with the girl’s name, raising concerns about its potential reach and the number of viewers. It was impossible to determine exactly how many individuals saw the image, but the fact that it was accessible for such a duration was alarming.

One 16-year-old girl, who followed Furse’s profile, expressed her shock upon discovering the image. She described her reaction, saying, “I was shocked that somebody would upload a picture for anyone to see.” Her testimony underscored the disturbing nature of the incident and the impact such images can have on viewers, especially minors.

The court also heard about Furse’s prior criminal record, which included convictions for criminal damage and two separate charges of battery. The battery charges involved him physically assaulting individuals by punching them in the face and causing broken noses. Notably, just days before the incident involving the indecent image, Furse was placed on a suspended sentence by magistrates. However, his decision to upload the image constituted a breach of that suspended sentence, complicating his legal situation further.

During the hearing, defense lawyer Barry Hilliard explained that Furse was unaware that uploading such a picture could be considered a criminal offense. He acknowledged that this was the first case of its kind that he had handled but warned that it might not be the last. Hilliard suggested that the incident could serve as a lesson for other young people who possess photos on their phones, emphasizing the importance of understanding the legal implications of sharing explicit images.

Hilliard also mentioned that Furse had lost an apprenticeship opportunity due to his actions and acknowledged that he was considered a sex offender, which carries social stigma. The judge, Christopher Harvey Clark, QC, addressed the potential virality of social media content, noting that images could be seen by thousands or even millions of people. He described Furse’s actions as a “fit of pique,” emphasizing that the act was both unpleasant and humiliating for the girl involved. The judge pointed out that Furse was fully aware that his actions were wrong and that he should not have shared the image.

In sentencing, Judge Harvey Clark ordered Furse to serve four months in a young offenders’ institution, suspended for two years. The judge advised him to “pull his socks up,” urging him to focus on his future and to learn to control his temper. Furse, who had already pleaded guilty to distributing an indecent image of a child at an earlier hearing, was also placed under supervision by the probation service for 18 months. Additionally, he was required to participate in 17 sessions of the Thinking Skills program, pay an £80 victim surcharge, and adhere to a three-day curfew from 7 pm to 6 am due to breaching his previous suspended sentence. As part of the court’s order, Furse was also instructed to forfeit his iPhone and iPad, devices likely used in the commission of the offense.