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Sara Ballingall
Born1972 (age 51–52)
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Known forPlaying Melanie Brodie in the Degrassi franchise
TelevisionDegrassi Junior High, Degrassi High

Sara Ballingall (born c. 1972-1973) is a Canadian former actress. She is best known for playing Melanie Brodie in the teen drama television series Degrassi Junior High and Degrassi High. Following Degrassi, Ballingall became a target of an international stalker in Melbourne for six years. The case became the first international stalking case of its kind in Australia.

Acting career

On Degrassi, Ballingall played the role of Melanie Brodie, a "skinny schoolgirl with crooked teeth"[1] who had romantic feelings towards Archie "Snake" Simpson, played by Stefan Brogren.[2] She was named a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador along with her co-stars in April 1989.[3][4] Ballingall left the series in 1990.[1]

Stalking case

After a joint Canadian-Australian police investigation in 1999, the Melbourne home of Australian accountant Brian Andrew Sutcliffe was raided by Victoria Police after Ballingall alleged that Sutcliffe had been sending her threatening letters and other suspicious objects, as well as phone calls, mail and emails since 1993.[1][5] Sutcliffe had regularly participated in online discussions about the series, until he was removed for his increasingly offensive messages.[6] Various unregistered firearms and explosives were seized in the raid,[7] and Sutcliffe was later charged with stalking and various firearm offences.[6][1] An interim intervention order was brought against Sutcliffe on August 26, 1999.[8] The case was initially rejected by Melbourne magistrate Sue Wakeling, claiming a lack of jurisdiction; the case was successfully appealed months later. The case marked the first time a person was charged with international stalking in Australia.[1]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e "In your footsteps". The Age. April 24, 2003. Archived from the original on 2 May 2021. Retrieved May 2, 2021.
  2. ^ Atherton, Tony (1988-02-16). "Canadian rule draws little animation". The Ottawa Citizen. p. 31. Retrieved 2021-06-07.
  3. ^ "All in a good cause". Classmates Newsletter. June 1, 1989. Retrieved 2021-05-03.
  4. ^ Ellis 2005, pp. 140
  5. ^ "Charges dropped against Australian accused of stalking Degrassi star". The Ottawa Citizen. The Canadian Press. 2000-07-25. p. 3. Retrieved 2021-06-07.
  6. ^ a b Honey, Kim (April 7, 2001). "My day with the Degrassi cult". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved May 2, 2021.
  7. ^ "Sea to Sea: Ontario". The Ottawa Citizen. 1999-09-01. p. 4. Retrieved 2021-06-07.
  8. ^ "E-mailer 'stalked soap star'". The Sydney Morning Herald. 1999-08-31. p. 4. Retrieved 2021-06-07.

Sources

  • Ellis, Kathryn (2005). The official 411 Degrassi generations. Fenn Pub. Co. ISBN 1-55168-278-8. OCLC 59136593.
source: https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sara_Ballingall&oldid=1058797002

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