EXCLUSIVE
A well-known influencer from New Zealand, who recently went through a separation from her husband, has caused a stir among her followers by revealing her new relationship with a man who has been convicted of rape.
The influencer, Sera Cruickshank, who is based in Auckland and owns a diamond store as well as being a jewellery designer, introduced her new boyfriend to her 25,000 followers through a video shared on January 1.
In the video, although she did not disclose the identity of her new partner, she tagged him. Sharp-eyed followers noticed that he was wearing an ankle monitor, suggesting a criminal background.
He was identified as Jamie Foster, a former police officer, who was convicted in March 2020 of raping a sleeping colleague at a motel in 2019 and sentenced to six years in prison.
He was released on parole in April 2022, but must still wear the ankle bracelet visible in the photos that Cruickshank shared of the couple’s recent adventures.
The footage, featuring Lewis Capaldi’s track ‘Love The Hell Out Of You’, showed the couple enjoying road trips, beach visits, and lunch dates, with Foster at one point lovingly kissing Cruickshank’s hand.
‘The contrast that was 2024,’ the mum of two wrote alongside the clip. ‘Simply the worst and best times of my life.
‘Good morning 2025.’
Kiwi influencer Sera Cruickshank has hard launched her new relationship with convicted rapist Jamie Foster over Instagram
Foster (pictured), a former cop, was convicted in 2020 of raping a sleeping colleague while away on a work assignment
Cruickshank’s relationship update comes after she recently quietly separated from her husband Dan Cruickshank.
She married Mr Cruickshank, who owns Auckland construction company buildforce, in 2017 and the former couple share two kids.
Friends were quick to send their well wishes to Cruickshank on her new relationship and the year ahead, but many were shocked by choice of new man.
‘Happy New Year Queen! Congratulations on making it through the s** storm of 2024 and emerging better than ever,’ one friend wrote.
‘Happy new year beautiful girl! Thankful for you, proud of you AND everything you’ve done including this reel – Happily ever after darling,’ another said.
However, others were stunned by her surprising new relationship.
‘Jesus,’ one wrote online.
‘Mamma I’m in love with a criminal,’ another said.
‘Wow. That’s f***ed up,’ a third wrote.
Cruickshank shared photos of the couple on Instagram on January 1 along with the son ‘Love The Hell Out Of You’ by Lewis Capaldi
In one of the photos, Foster could be seen sporting an ankle bracelet as he walked along the beach
Another photo showed him tenderly kissing her hand as they drove together in a car
Foster and his victim had been staying at a Kerikeri motel in New Zealand’s Northland with a group of officers, assigned to help police the 2019 Waitangi Day events at the Treaty Grounds at the time of the rape.
The group were partying and drinking alcohol which was being stored in the room Foster was staying in with a male colleague.
As the woman went to the room to get a drink, Foster groped her and she told him to stop.
She later returned to the room at the end of the night and woke about 2.30am to find Foster raping her.
At his rape trial, Foster claimed the sex was consensual and that he believed the woman’s reaction to the groping incident meant ‘not yet’.
He said he also believed the woman had invited him to go to her room later.
However, the jury found Foster guilty, and repeated efforts by Foster to appeal against his convictions were rejected.
At the time of his release, the New Zealand Parole Board noted that Foster’s risk to the community was ‘low’ and he poses a ‘below average’ risk of sexual re-offending.
Daily Mail Australia has contacted Cruickshank and Foster for comment.
