SR v Trustees of the De La Salle Brothers [2023] NSWSC 66

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: SR v Trustees of the De La Salle Brothers [2023] NSWSC 66 Hearing dates: 25, 26 and 28 October 2022 Date of orders: 10 February 2023 Decision date: 10 February 2023 Jurisdiction: Common Law Before: Cavanagh J Decision: 1. Judgment for the plaintiff in the sum of $1,330,304.60 (amended pursuant to r 36.17 of the Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW) – see SR v Trustees of the De La Salle Brothers (No 2) [2023] NSWSC 150). 2. The defendant is to pay the plaintiff's costs. 3. Liberty granted to the parties to apply on 3 days' notice should they seek a variation on costs. Catchwords: TORTS — General principles – negligence – vicarious liability – historical sexual assault – assessment of damages – aggravated damages Legislation Cited: Civil Liability Act 2002 (NSW) Limitation Act 1969 (NSW), s 6A(1) Limitation Amendment (Child Abuse) Act 2016 (NSW) Cases Cited: AA v PD [2022] NSWSC 1039 Arthur Robinson (Grafton) Pty Ltd v Carter (1968) 122 CLR 649 Bazley v Curry [1999] 2 SCR 534 Deatons Pty Ltd v Flew [1949] HCA 60; 79 CLR 370 DP (a pseudonym) v Bishop Paul Bernard Bird [2021] VSC 850 Fox v Percy (2003) 214 CLR 118; [2003] HCA 22 Gersbach v Gersbach [2018] NSWSC 1685 Graham v Baker [1961] HCA 48; (1961) 106 CLR 340 Jones v Dunkel (1959) 101 CLR 298; [1959] HCA 8 Lamb v Cotogno (1987) 164 CLR 1; [1987] HCA 47 Lister v Hesley Hall Ltd [2001] UKHL 22; [2002] 1 AC 215 Lloyd v Grace, Smith & Co [1912] AC 716 Malec v J C Hutton Pty Limited (1990) 169 CLR 638; [1990] HCA 20 March v E & MH Stramare Pty Ltd 171 CLR 506; [1991] HCA 12 MC v Morris [2019] NSWSC 1326 Morris v CW Martin & Sons Limited [1966] 1 QB 716 New South Wales v Lepore [2003] HCA 4; 212 CLR 511 Nguyen v John Fairfax (1966) 117 CLR 118; (1966) HCA 40 Prince Alfred College Inc v ADC (2016) 258 CLR 134; [2016] HCA 37 Plaintiff A and B v Bird; Plaintiff C v Bird; Plaintiff D v Bird [2020] NSWSC 1379 PP v DD (No 2) [2021] NSWSC 1312 Ramsey v Denton [2021] NSWCA 310 Roman Catholic Trusts Corporation for the Diocese of Sale v WCB [2020] VSCA 328; [2020] 62 VR 234 Rosenberg v Percival (2001) 205 CLR 434; [2001] HCA 18 Sellars v Adelaide Petroleum NL (1994) 179 CLR 332 Starks v RSM Security Pty Ltd & Ors [2004] NSWCA 351 Uren v John Fairfax & Sons Pty Ltd (1966) 117 CLR 118; [1966] HCA 40 Watts v Rake (1960) 108 CLR 158; [1960] HCA 58 Texts Cited: Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse (Final Report, 15 December 2017) Category: Principal judgment Parties: SR (Plaintiff) Trustees of the De La Salle Brothers (Defendant) Representation: Counsel: S E McCarthy with S H Hartford Davis (Plaintiff) G Watson SC with D Tang (Defendant)