Developer demands $350,000 over former lover's online attacks

Plenty of people have said bad things about an ex-girlfriend or ex-boyfriend, but what about launching legal action over it?

That's what Melbourne property developer Barry Wang has done.

He's suing his former flame for posting nasty attacks online about him and their relationship and he's demanding she pay him $350,000 in compensation.

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The couple is now battling it out in the County Court of Victoria in a defamation trial that at times has felt more like a Jerry Springer episode.

The pair met on a dating website then-called, Seeking Arrangement, which advertised itself as a place "where 'sugar daddies' and 'sugar mommas' could meet 'sugar babies' by honestly sharing expectations for a relationship upfront".

Mr Wang has given evidence in court, explaining that when he used Seeking Arrangement, he believed the women he was looking at wanted to be sugar babies.

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Probing Mr Wang about their relationship, his lawyer asked: "Between April 2019 and February 2020, did you ever serve her a meal at your home?"

"Never," Mr Wang said.

"Did you ever go on a picnic?" his lawyer asked.

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"Never," Mr Wang said.

"Did you ever go to the movies?" the lawyer asked.

"Never," Mr Wang responded.

But the defendant said she became very attached to Mr Wang, and thought their relationship was getting serious.

In an interview with A Current Affair, she explained, "before I think probably (he could) be an important person in my life, but later I found out he had just treated me as a sex partner, same as other girls".  

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When their relationship ended, Mr Wang's ex said she was hurt, and so she took to social media app WeChat to publish lengthy articles about Mr Wang.

Among other things, she wrote: "Melbourne old scum divorcee, rampant sex scammer … he is a scheming boy, good at mind games, and having dubious relationships with several girls behind your back … I found out that he was a scum, a scammer of sex and affection".

The court heard she also set up a fake dating profile for Mr Wang on dating app TanTan, writing, "my name is Barry Wang, I am scum, scum and scum. A scum male is scum originally! Love to eat and play for free!" 

Mr Wang's lawyer is alleging the defendant embarked on a sustained campaign to tear down Mr Wang's reputation, and that the articles were defamatory, portraying him as a manipulative sexual predator.

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But the woman who wrote the articles says everything she wrote is true, alleging her ex-boyfriend had been cheating on her with several other women.

She also said she is not a "sugar baby", as has been suggested.

But the court has heard there was an occasion when Mr Wang bought lingerie for the now-defendant.

The pair went to a Sexyland shop where she chose some lingerie.

Mr Wang testified that he later transferred her $1000 to reimburse her for the purchase.

Lawyer Justin Quill said this will be a tough case for Mr Wang's ex to defend.

"It's all uphill for the defendant in this case … the Plaintiff doesn't have to prove that he didn't cheat on her. The defendant has to prove that he did, and the onus of proof is so important in all legal cases and it will be in this particular case aswell," Mr Quill said.

The trial continues.