Abbie Chatfield
Abbie Chatfield, known for her role on “The Bachelor” and her influence on social media, has acknowledged that she defamed her former friend Heath Kelley. The decision follows a Federal Court ruling in which Chatfield agreed to pay Kelley $79,000 in damages due to her accusations against him, which included claims of supporting genocide and child slaughter.
Kelley, a law student and former guest services officer at Virgin Australia, initiated legal action after Chatfield’s statements circulated online. Her lawyers advised her that the comments were untrue and indefensible. Chatfield did not contest the claim, leading to an order from Justice Wendy Abraham on Thursday afternoon, which mandated her to cover Kelley’s legal expenses, estimated at an additional $30,000. This brings Chatfield’s total financial responsibility to over $100,000.
The controversy began on May 7, 2025, when Chatfield posted the defamatory remarks on her Instagram Stories at approximately 17:30. Earlier that day, she had expressed her support for Greens leader Adam Bandt, who was defeated by Labor’s Sarah Witty in the federal election. Kelley, who has known Chatfield since their school days in 2011, responded to her post with a private message that included a video and commentary about Bandt.
Chatfield later shared parts of their private conversation on her Instagram, which led to further exchanges. In one message, she questioned Kelley’s stance, asking, “Are you pro-Israel? Gross.” Kelley replied, stating his support for Israel, particularly as a supporter of gay and women’s rights, and mentioned feeling relieved by Bandt’s defeat. Chatfield dismissed his comments, stating, “Okay so you’ve lost the plot. Bye dude lmao.”
The former friends had a significant social media overlap, with approximately 130 to 150 mutual contacts on Instagram, amplifying the potential harm to Kelley’s reputation. In his statement of claim, Kelley argued that Chatfield’s comments were “likely to cause serious harm” due to her substantial following of around 550,000 on Instagram.
Kelley also alleged that Chatfield breached his confidence by disclosing their private messages. The two had previously made headlines in 2019 when an online video surfaced showing them dancing together, which sparked speculation about their relationship. At the time, Chatfield clarified that Kelley was “my best friend of ten years.”
PerthNow has reached out to Abbie Chatfield for a statement regarding the court’s decision. As the case unfolds, it underscores the repercussions of social media statements and the potential legal ramifications of defamation in the digital age.
