Identity of high-profile figure whose extra-marital affair with a woman led to an alleged 'extortion attempt' will NOT be revealed after suppression battle in court

By CANDACE SUTTON, SENIOR NEWS REPORTER, AUSTRALIA Published: 02:23, 8 June 2026 | Updated: 02:27, 8 June 2026 A Cairns magistrate has sensationally continued the court order keeping secret the identity of a 'very prominent married man' who had an affair with a woman in 2017. It was also revealed that the alleged extorter had threatened not just to expose the man's name, but to contact his wife and place of employment. The alleged extorter is accused of telling the woman that the married man should pay a $15,000 shortfall in a property settlement after the alleged extorter and the woman sold a house they had bought in 2023. The accused's evidence of the affair were screenshots from the woman's computer. Magistrate Gelma Meoli did rule that the suppression order must continue over the names of the accused extorter and the female complainant who had the affair with the married man. The woman complainant has also been previously married and has children. The magistrate said there was a need that 'victims can feel safe to come forward and report these allegations to police'. 'I acknowledge that the married man… has a high public profile,' Magistrate Meoli said. A Cairns magistrate has sensationally continued the court order keeping secret the identity of a 'very prominent married man' who had an affair with a woman in 2017 (stock image) 'This order is based on the application of any person whether they be high profile or not.  'The orders are not to be made to protect any party from embarrassment of reputational consequences... reputational harm or other collateral disadvantages. 'No two cases are ever alike. (The defendant's) threat to go to the married man, to his wife, to his employment coupled with the financial threat to have the married man pay the shortfall… would have been achieved by being exposed publicly. 'The threat of exposing the married man is going to the very heart in my view. 'By not suppressing the married man's name, it offers the complainant no protection and enables the respondent to achieve publicly the very nature of the charge.' Cairns Magistrates Court was packed on Monday morning with media and senior barristers for the fight to expose the identity of the prominent Queensland man. Eminent barrister Andrew O'Brien KC representing media and Police Prosecutor Maynard Marcum submitted opposing arguments. Mr Marcum submitted the court be closed. Mr O'Brien, opposing the closure of the court, said it was 'drastic, inappropriate' saying no proper argument had been presented by prosecutors to do so. Bridie Billic, for the man accused of carrying out the alleged extortion, told Magistrate Meoli she objected to an affidavit which 'delved into hearsay evidence' about the 'distress of the complainant'. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.