Plaintiff A and B v Bird; Plaintiff C v Bird; Plaintiff D v Bird [2020] NSWSC 1379

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Plaintiff A and B v Bird; Plaintiff C v Bird; Plaintiff D v Bird [2020] NSWSC 1379 Hearing dates: 7 September 2020 – 21 September 2020 Decision date: 09 October 2020 Jurisdiction: Common Law Before: Schmidt AJ Decision: Verdicts for A, B, C and D The parties should file proposed orders, including as to costs, within 14 days Catchwords: TORTS — intentional torts — personal injury — historic sexual abuse of children being cared for at a childcare centre — whether assaults occurred TORTS —vicarious liability —volunteers — whether first defendant a volunteer or employee NEGLIGENCE — whether duty to children breached — whether reasonable steps to avoid risk of harm to children could have been taken — compliance with regulatory requirements — whether child protection policy in operation — whether supervision was adequate NEGLIGENCE — whether duty owed to mothers of child plaintiffs –– nature of psychological injuries suffered — whether duty breached — whether causation established EVIDENCE — admissions — whether made with authority and so admissible under s87 of the Evidence Act 1995 EVIDENCE — admissibility — whether child unavailable to give evidence — s63 Evidence Act and Dictionary definition of unavailable EVIDENCE — tendency evidence — admissibility of children's disclosures and defendant's admissions — probative value of tendency evidence EVIDENCE — civil standard of proof — nature of the burden of proof under s140 of the Evidence Act EVIDENCE — witness evidence — evidence of children's disclosures — reliability of evidence where children were not cross-examined Legislation Cited: Children and Young Persons (Care and Protection) Act 1998 (NSW), ss 209, 210 Children Services Regulation 2004 (NSW), regs 15, 25, 51–54, 56–58, 61, 64–66, 74, 85, 88, 104, 111, 117,118 Civil Liability Act 2002 (NSW), ss 3, 5D, 5E, 6E–6H, 13, 15, 21, 27, 31–33 Evidence Act 1995 (NSW), ss 12, 13, 55, 59, 61–64, 67, 81, 87, 97, 100, 101, 135, 136, 140, 192A Evidence Regulation 2015 (NSW) (rep), reg 5 Cases Cited: Ainsworth v Burden [2005] NSWCA 174 Annetts v Australian Stations Pty Ltd (2000) 23 WAR 35; [2000] WASCA 357 Avopiling Pty Ltd v Bosevski; Avopiling Pty Ltd v The Workers Compensation Nominal Insurer [2018] NSWCA 146 Barclays Bank plc v Various Claimants [2020] UKSC 13 Bowles v The State of Western Australia [2011] WASCA 191 BP Refinery (Westernport) Pty Ltd v Shire of Hastings (1977) 180 CLR 266 Briginshaw v Briginshaw (1938) 60 CLR 336; [1938] HCA 34 Catholic Child Welfare Society v Various Claimants [2013] 2 AC 1; [2012] UKSC 56 Commonwealth v Helicopter Resources Pty Ltd [2020] HCA 16; (2020) 94 ALJR 466 Cox v Ministry of Justice [2016] AC 660; [2016] UKSC 10 Cox v State of New South Wales (2007) 71 NSWLR 225; [2007] NSWSC 471 DSN v Blackpool Football Club Ltd [2020] EWHC 595 (QB) Dyldam Developments Pty Limited v Jones [2008] NSWCA 56 Gersbach v Gersbach [2018] NSWSC 1685 Geyer v Downs (1977) 138 CLR 91; [1977] HCA 64 Gordon v Truong [2014] NSWCA 97 Gray v Motor Accident Commission (1998) 196 CLR 1; [1998] HCA 70 Hollis v Vabu Pty Ltd (2001) 207 CLR 21; [2001] HCA 44 Hughes v The Queen (2017) 263 CLR 338; [2017] HCA 20 IMM v The Queen (2016) 257 CLR 300; [2016] HCA 14 Jacara Pty Ltd v Perpetual Trustees WA Ltd (2000) 106 FCR 51; [2000] FCA 1886 Jones v Dunkel (1959) 101 CLR 298; [1959] HCA 8 Lamb v Cotogno (1987) 164 CLR 1; [1987] HCA 47 M v M (1988) 166 CLR 69; [1988] HCA 68 Malec v JC Hutton Pty Ltd (1990) 169 CLR 638; [1990] HCA 20 Merton & Merton [2007] FamCA 1350 Neat Holdings Pty Ltd v Karajan Holdings Pty Ltd (1992) 110 CLR 445; [1992] HCA 66 New South Wales v Lepore (2003) 212 CLR 511; [2003] HCA 4 Optus Administration Pty Ltd v Wright by his tutor Wright (2017) 94 NSWLR 229; [2017] NSWCA 21 Ordukaya v Hicks [2000] NSWCA 180 Palmer v Dolman [2005] NSWCA 361 Plaintiff A & B v Bird [2016] NSWSC 997 Plaintiff A v Bird [2020] NSWSC 1145 Prince Alfred College Incorporated v ADC (2016) 258 CLR 134; [2016] HCA 37 Public Transport Commission (NSW) v J Murray-More (NSW) Pty Ltd (1975) 132 CLR 336; [1975] HCA 28 R v Chief Constable of Devon and Cornwall, Ex parte Central Electricity Generating Board [1982] QB 458 R v Suteski (2002) 56 NSWLR 182; [2002] NSWCCA 509 Rabay v Bristow [2005] NSWCA 199 Re W [2004] FamCA 768; (2004) 32 Fam LR 249 RHG Mortgage Limited v Ianni [2015] NSWCA 56 Richards v Victoria [1969] VR 136 Rixon v Star City Pty Ltd (Formerly Sydney Harbour Casino Pty Ltd) (2001) 53 NSWLR 98; [2001] NSWCA 265 Roman Catholic Church Trustees for the Diocese of Canberra and Goulburn v Hadba (2005); 221 CLR 161; [2005] HCA 31 Sampco Pty Ltd v Wurth [2015] NSWCA 117 Sophie Fegan by her tutor Inga Rozenauers v Lane Cove House Pty Limited [2007] NSWCA 88 Sorbello v South Western Sydney Local Health Network; Sultan v South Western Sydney Local Health Network [2016] NSWSC 863 State of New South Wales v Riley (2003) 57 NSWLR 496; [2003] NSWCA 208 Tame v New South Wales (2002) 211 CLR 317; [2002] HCA 35 The Queen v Dennis Bauer (a pseudonym) (2018) 266 CLR 56; [2018] HCA 40 Varmedja v Varmedja [2008] NSWCA 177 White Constructions (ACT) Pty Ltd (In liq) v White [2005] NSWCA 173 Withyman v State of New South Wales [2013] NSWCA 10 Wynn v NSW Insurance Ministerial Corporation (1995) 184 CLR 485; [1995] HCA 53 Texts Cited: RFV Heuston and RA Buckley, Salmond on Torts (Sweet and Maxwell, 17th ed, 1977) Category: Principal judgment Parties: A (1st Plaintiff) B (2nd Plaintiff) C (3rd Plaintiff) D (4th Plaintiff) Rodney Raymond Bird (1st Defendant) Lisa Maree Clancy (2nd Defendant) Little Pigeon T/As Footprints Childcare Centre (3rd Defendant) Representation: Counsel: C Barry QC with M Tanevski and M Hamdan (1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th Plaintiffs) C Heazlewood (1st Defendant) A Horvath with R McEwen (2nd and 3rd Defendants) Solicitors: Shine Lawyers (1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th Plaintiffs) EMP Michael (1st Defendant) Norton Rose Fullbright (2nd and 3rd Defendants) File Number(s): 2013/375445; 2013/375437; 2020/65223