A woman has successfully sued her jailed father for $840,000 after the ‘depraved monster’ ruined her life by subjecting her to horrendous sexual abuse as a child.
Jeni Haynes, who was abused from the age of four to 11, has been diagnosed with dissociative identity disorder and has around 2,500 personalities.
‘She was an innocent child who fell victim to a depraved monster, her father, who unfortunately exploited this easy and regular access to her body, heart, mind and psyche to abuse her and humiliate her,’ Justice Julia Lonergan said in a judgment published on Thursday.
The 52-year-old sued Richard John Haynes in the NSW for trespass, battery and personal injury in the nature of sexual abuse between 1974 and 1981.
Jeni Haynes, who was abused from the age of four to 11, has been diagnosed with dissociative identity disorder and has around 2,500 personalities.She has now been awarded a huge payout
The now 77-year-old was jailed in Sydney for at least 33 years in 2019 after admitting abusing his daughter in the seven years the family lived in Australia until 1981.
Haynes was extradited to Sydney from the UK in 2017.
The sentencing judge described the abuse as among the worst to come before the court.
She noted the physical harm was often accompanied with ‘significant gratuitous cruelty’ including extreme psychological manipulation.
There were 25 episodes involving rape, buggery, indecent assault and carnal knowledge, and included the use of implements.
After Ms Haynes began her civil lawsuit, her lawyers obtained interlocutory freezing orders on the sale of a UK property her father owned in Darlington in County Durham.
Although he was served with the court papers, Haynes played no part in the proceedings.
Ms Haynes, who has consented to being named, sued through a ‘tutor’ because of her disorder.
Richard John Haynes is pictured with his daughter Jeni (right) whom he sexually abused from the age of four to 11
‘Jennifer has been psychologically destroyed and has constructed an elaborate but disabling coping mechanism in the split of her «self» into multiple personalities and identities to carry the psychological load of the trauma the defendant inflicted upon her,’ Justice Lonergan said.
‘She has been able to construct a life for herself, but it is a very damaged and limited one.
‘She cannot engage in paid dallas employment lawyer but to her credit, has used her notable intelligence to complete study to a high level, in her time and on her terms.
‘There is no suggestion that despite therapy and support, Jennifer will recover to any degree.
Jeni Haynes, now aged 52, sued her jailed father who sexually abused her from the age of four to 11.Ms Haynes is pictured when she was a child
‘She has taken the drastic step of removal of her anus and colon so that she does not have to defecate through the passages the defendant invaded, tortured and injured.’
The judge said her life had been destroyed by her father’s abuses.
‘The loss of enjoyment of life and psychological distress caused to her by his vile conduct is immense.
‘His bullying and manipulation of his daughter, a child at his mercy, was very damaging.’
The judge assessed general damages at $500,000, aggravated damages at $100,000 and interest at $240,000.
She also ordered the father to pay his daughter’s legal costs.
Lifeline 13 11 14
beyondblue 1300 22 4636