A Tasmanian court has recently wrapped up a special hearing concerning the man convicted of sexually assaulting Grace Tame. The individual, Nicolaas Ockert Bester, faces charges for menacing tweets directed at Ms. Tame that were posted in 2022. The next court appearance is scheduled for December.
Grace Tame, a survivor of sexual abuse, expressed in court her profound fear for her safety following the threatening tweets from her abuser. Bester, now in his mid-70s, has been charged with three counts of using a carriage service to menace, harass, or cause offense, specifically related to three public posts made on Twitter, now known as X, in 2022. At the time of the abuse, Ms. Tame was a 15-year-old student, and Bester was her school teacher.
In February, Bester was deemed unfit to stand trial due to medical issues. Prosecutor Ruth Champion informed the court that the findings included not guilty verdicts and a lack of capability to determine guilt, whether due to insanity or other reasons.
During the hearing, it was revealed that Bester’s tweets included references to a “comeuppance,” which coincided with the release of Ms. Tame’s memoir. The messages contained alarming countdowns and included her childhood email address, which had previously been associated with her Facebook account for communication with Bester during the period of abuse.
Ms. Tame reported that the content of these tweets caused her significant distress, stating, “Aside from re-traumatizing me, it destabilised me, made me convinced that something was going to eventuate. I feared for any number of possibilities, public humiliation or indeed, death.” She interpreted “comeuppance” as a threat of revenge, leading her to a state of anxiety and insecurity.
In light of the threats made online, Ms. Tame’s publisher and tour organizer implemented additional security measures for her book tour events. She articulated her concerns in court, saying, “This is a man who has psychologically tortured and raped me. I do not need to imagine his capacity to cause harm.”
After the hearing, Ms. Tame shared the emotional toll that these recent developments have taken on her and her family. Reflecting on her experiences, she noted, “This is over half my lifetime that this has taken up, and like many survivors of child sexual abuse, the impacts of that trauma have been profound and long-lasting.”
During her testimony, Ms. Tame voiced her apprehension that Bester might release messages from their past interactions, which could potentially expose her to further humiliation. She reported the first of Bester’s tweets to law enforcement in May 2022, emphasizing the details that indicated they could only have originated from him.
In court, Ms. Tame recounted memories of Bester discussing his violent past, which heightened her fears for her safety. Detective Senior Constable Declan Gilette provided evidence that during a search of Bester’s home in October 2022, police discovered a document containing excerpts from Facebook Messenger, primarily featuring messages sent by Ms. Tame to Bester. This document, titled “additional material for Bettina,” was reportedly emailed to social commentator Bettina Arndt, who had previously interviewed Bester.
Gilette also noted that a folder on Bester’s devices was labeled “Wraak,” an Afrikaans term meaning revenge or vengeance, which further suggested Bester’s intent. The case is set to be revisited in court in December.
