PP v DD (No 2) [2021] NSWSC 1312

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: PP v DD (No 2) [2021] NSWSC 1312 Hearing dates: 12, 13 and 14 July 2021 Date of orders: 15 October 2021 Decision date: 15 October 2021 Jurisdiction: Common Law Before: Cavanagh J Decision: (1) Judgment for the plaintiff in the sum of $1,273,125. (2) I order the defendant to pay the plaintiff's costs. Catchwords: TORTS – General principles - Assessing damages for sexual assault – Where contemporaneous records do not support the conclusions of medico-legal experts – Inherent difficulty in quantifying loss in cases involving sexual assault TORTS – Trespass to the person – Assault and battery – Sexual assault - Where defendant has been convicted of criminal offences against the plaintiff Legislation Cited: Civil Liability Act 2002 (NSW) Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW) Court Suppression and Non-publication Orders Act 2010 (NSW) Evidence Act 1995 (NSW) Cases Cited: BDN v McCoy [2019] NSWSC 1723 Cookson v Knowles [1979] AC 556 Croucher v Cachia (2016) 95 NSWLR 117; [2016] NSWCA 132 Cullen v Trappell (1980) 146 CLR 1; [1980] HCA 10 Fernandez v Tubemakers of Australia Ltd (1975) 2 NSWLR 190 Malec v J.C. Hutton Pty Ltd (1990) 169 CLR 638; [1990] HCA 20 M.B.P (SA) Pty Ltd v Gogic (1991) 171 CLR 657; [1991] HCA 3 PP v DD [2021] NSWSC 1157 New South Wales v Ibbett (2006) 229 CLR 638; [2006] HCA 57 State of New South Wales v Ibbett (2005) 65 NSWLR 168; [2005] NSWCA 445 State of New South Wales v Loh Min Choo [2012] NSWCA 275 St George Club Ltd v Hines (1961) 35 ALJR 106 Tubemakers of Australia Ltd v Fernandez (1976) 50 ALJR 720 Watts v Rake (1960) 108 CLR 158; [1960] HCA 58 Category: Principal judgment Parties: PP (Plaintiff) DD (Defendant) Representation: Counsel: K W Andrews with R Brown (Plaintiff)