Arabic version: محكمة تمنح 1.6 مليون دولار لناجية من الاعتداء تعاني من مرض عضال
A Tasmanian judge has awarded a terminally ill woman $1.6 million in damages following a civil lawsuit against her former teacher, Stephen Fane Noga, for alleged sexual abuse. The woman, now in her 60s, accused Noga of abusing her when she was a 16-year-old student at Hobart Matriculation College. Alongside the lawsuit against Noga, she also sought damages from the State of Tasmania for failing in its duty of care.
According to ABC News, the month-long trial revealed that Noga, now 76, denied the allegations of sexual abuse during her time as a student but admitted to having consensual sex with her after she graduated. The judge, Chief Justice Stephen Estcourt, ordered Noga and the State of Tasmania to jointly pay the plaintiff $1.4 million, with Noga responsible for an additional $200,000.
The damages included $275,000 for pain, suffering and loss of enjoyment of life, $800,000 for impairment of earning capacity, and $33,000 for past and future medical and associated expenses. The plaintiff’s solicitor, Angela Sdrinis, highlighted the challenges faced by her client due to her terminal illness, emphasizing that the legal battle was particularly traumatic.
Sdrinis noted that the judgment serves not only as a financial settlement but also as a crucial acknowledgment of the wrongdoing, stating, “For her, the money is important because it is the tangible acknowledgement of wrongdoing, but it is about justice before she dies.” The parties involved have seven days to appeal the decision, with the full judgment expected to be released shortly.
