Obela Fresh Dips and Spreads Pty Limited v Coetzee [2020] NSWSC 1862

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Obela Fresh Dips and Spreads Pty Limited v Coetzee [2020] NSWSC 1862 Hearing dates: 16 December 2020 Date of orders: 16 December 2020 Decision date: 16 December 2020 Jurisdiction: Equity Before: Rees J Decision: Default judgment against defendants with costs. Catchwords: DEFAULT JUDGMENT – $3M fraud by trusted employee – feigns wife's suicide – both leave for Spain – substituted service by email and Facebook – leave to proceed against overseas defendants – unliquidated claim – 57 transactions analysed by forensic accountant – damages proved – gross sum costs order. Legislation Cited: Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW), s 98(4)(c) Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW), rr 11.4 11.8AA(1), 16.6, 16.7, Sch 6 Cases Cited: Agar v Hyde (2000) 201 CLR 552; [2000] HCA 41 Alesco Corporation Limited v Te Maari [2015] NSWSC 469 Baychek v Baychek [2010] NSWSC 987 Bingley-Pullin v Montgomery [2018] NSWSC 1308 Bitek Pty Ltd v iConnect Pty Ltd (2012) 290 ALR 288; [2012] FCA 506 Dunstan v Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission (No 3) [2006] FCA 916 Gate v Sun Alliance Insurance Ltd (1995) 8 ANZ Ins Cas 61-251 Hadid v Lenfest Communications Inc [2000] FCA 628 Hamod v New South Wales [2011] NSWCA 375 Harrison v Schipp (2002) 54 NSWLR 738; [2002] NSWCA 213 Idoport Pty Ltd v National Australia Bank Ltd [2007] NSWSC 23 MacDonald v Australian Securities and Investments Commission (2007) 73 NSWLR 612; [2007] NSWCA 304 Sony Entertainment (Australia) Ltd v Smith (2005) 215 ALR 788; [2005] FCA 228 Sparnon v Apand Pty Ltd [1998] FCA 164 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Obela Fresh Dips & Spreads Pty Limited (Plaintiff) Diederik Coetzee (First Defendant) Lydia Coetzee (Second Defendant) Representation: Counsel: Mr M Gunning (Plaintiff) No appearance (First Defendant) No appearance (Second Defendant)