Date:

12/20/2004

DAILY TELEGRAPH COVERAGE OF JUDGMENT WRONG

Coverage in the Daily Telegraph on Saturday, 18 December 2004, about a District Court decision to reinstate a $50,000 payout to a 16-year-old youth who was assaulted while attempting to gain entry into a southern Sydney hotel, was wrong and misleading.

District Court Judge Nigel Rein did not find in the youth’s favour because his actions were “typical teenage behaviour” as reported in Drunken youth gets payout back, and Hardly typical.

Judge Rein’s reference to the youth’s behaviour related to his purchase of alcohol earlier in the night and pretending to have an ID card when he did not – not his actions in scaling a wall and accessing a patio next to the licensee’s residence.

Central to the case was whether the youth was assaulted by the licensee as asserted, or whether the licensee had acted in self defence.

Based on all the evidence, Judge Rein determined that the youth’s version of events was to be preferred to that of the hotel’s licensee, and ruled accordingly.


Sonya Zadel
Public Information Officer
Supreme Court of NSW