The fact the woman deliberately accessed the agency’s computer system to look at the couple’s health records without their permission wasn’t in dispute. She said she’d accessed the records in a moment of impulsivity, against the background of a hostile and difficult relationship breakdown. The woman accessed the girlfriend’s medical records for 12 seconds to look at her lab results. But Judge Rowe found that in the context of an acrimonious separation and the concerns she had about her children’s care, accessing her ex-partner’s details did give the woman an advantage. Without knowing what information the woman accessed, the judge said he wasn’t prepared to extend the definition of “benefit” to the absence of information.

Source: New Zealand Herald February 25, 2026 05:28 UTC