RJ bht RPC v State of New South Wales [2024] NSWDC 128

District Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: RJ bht RPC v State of New South Wales [2024] NSWDC 128 Hearing dates: 23-25 October 2023, 7 and 9 February 2024 Date of orders: 22 April 2024 Decision date: 22 April 2024 Jurisdiction: Civil Before: Gibson DCJ Decision: (1) Judgment for the plaintiff. (2) Liberty to the parties to bring in Short Minutes of Order reflecting the mathematically agreed calculation of damages, such total to include funds management costs. (3) Costs reserved. (4) Liberty to apply in relation to orders 2 and 3. (5) Exhibits retained until further order. Catchwords: TORT – negligence – thirteen-year-old intellectually disabled student first groomed and then sexually assaulted by an older student – prior knowledge and foreseeability of harm following earlier complaint and concerns of the child's parents to the school – whether reasonable precautions taken – breach of duty of care – causation - quantum Legislation Cited: Civil Liability Act 2002 (NSW), ss 5B, 5D Evidence Act 1995 (NSW), ss 41, 81, 87 Cases Cited: Chen by her tutor Huang v Kmart Australia Ltd [2023] NSWCA 96 Commonwealth v Introvigne (1982) 150 CLR 258 Lehrmann v Network Ten Pty Limited (Livestream) [2023] FCA 1452 Lehrmann v Network Ten Pty Limited (Trial Judgment) [2024] FCA 369 Modbury Triangle Shopping Centre Pty Ltd v Anzil (2000) 205 CLR 254 New South Wales v Lepore (2003) 212 CLR 511; [2003] HCA 4 Roberts-Smith v Fairfax Media Publications Pty Limited (No 41) [2023] FCA 555 The Commonwealth v Helicopter Resources Pty Ltd (2020) 270 CLR 523 Verryt v Schoupp [2015] NSWCA 128 Wright v Optus Administration & Anor (No 5) [2013] NSWSC 1717 Wyong Shire Council v Shirt (1980) 146 CLR 40; [1980] HCA 12 Texts Cited: Harold Luntz & Sirko Harder, Assessment of Damages for Personal Injury and Death (5th Ed, 2021, LexisNexis Butterworths) Category: Principal judgment Parties: RJ bht RPC (Plaintiff) State of New South Wales (Defendant) Representation: Counsel: Mr R Sheldon SC with Ms E Welsh (Plaintiff) Mr M Best (Defendant)