Swim school owned by Sam Riley wins lawsuit over rival business

Olympic medallist Sam Riley’s swimming school has won a lawsuit, successfully defending a $1.4 million claim it poached clients and customers from a rival business.

The swimming school owned by former Olympian Sam Riley has succeeded in a civil law suit. Picture: David Clark/AAP

OLYMPIC medallist Sam Riley’s swimming school has won a lawsuit, successfully defending a $1.4 million claim it poached clients and customers from a rival business.

The three-time Olympic medallist’s company, Sam Riley Promotions (SRP), was accused of breaching a contract with the new owner of her Capalaba swim school by “encouraging customers” to “switch” to the Sam Riley swim school in nearby Manly, in Brisbane’s eastern bayside suburbs.

SRP, which is co-owned by Riley with David Noonan, was also accused of “encouraging or counselling” key staffer Hayley Meerten to resign from “Capalaba Swim Stars” and go to work at SRP’s rival Manly school just two months after it was sold to Alex Brown’s company Summer Swim Pty Ltd.

Summer Swim also accused SRP of failing to train to staff of its school, trading as Capalaba Swim Stars, on how to operate the business and to “assist” Mr Brown for six months.

Capalaba Swim Stars business collapsed

Supreme Court Justice David Boddice this morning ruled that Brown’s claim had failed and Riley’s counter-claim had succeeded.

Justice Boddice’s written reasons are due to be published later today. He told the parties he would give them seven days to decide on who should pay legal costs.

Riley’s barrister told the court he was seeking for Brown to pay SRP’s costs on a standard basis.

Brown has been given a week to submit why he should not have to pay SRP’s costs.

Riley was in court for the decision, along with Brown, who was self-represented during the trial heard earlier this month.