Brilliant science student’s court battle against abusive teacher and Tas government wraps up

A woman suing her former teacher and the state government said she turned down an offer for a PhD at the University of Tasmania because her abuser was employed there. DETAILS >

Katrina Munting (centre) and former Australian of the Year Grace Tame (right) outside the Supreme Court of Tasmania. Picture: Amber Wilson

A “brilliant young female scientist” says she turned down an offer of a PhD at the University of Tasmania because the man who sexually abused her at school was employed there.

On Wednesday, a six-day civil trial waged by abuse survivor Katrina Munting – who is suing not only her former science teacher Marcus Pollard, but also the state government that employed him – drew to a close.

Mrs Munting says because of the abuse, when she was a 15-year-old student at Rose Bay High, and the way the school managed it, she was unable to pursue her passions, “to make the world a better place”.

As a result, her legal team argued in the Supreme Court of Tasmania, Mrs Munting not only lost the full potential of her income over the past two decades, but also $1.6 million in future earnings.

In his closing address in the judge-only trial, barrister Chris Dockray said Mrs Munting had been described as a “brilliant young female scientist” before her career ambitions were cut short.

Katrina Munting, is suing the state government and her former science teacher in a civil trial in Hobart. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

“She was ambitious and would have achieved at the highest levels of her abilities,” he said.

Mr Dockray said Mrs Munting would have achieved the position of professor by 2022.

However, because of the way the school mishandled her case, the court heard, Pollard’s abuse was not escalated to Tasmania Police.

Instead, Pollard was given the option to resign, and ultimately ended up working at the University of Tasmania – where Mrs Munting had hoped to pursue her doctoral ambitions.

Mr Dockray asked Acting Justice David Porter to hand down a finding into not only Pollard’s liability for the harm Mrs Munting had suffered, but also for the state government’s “omissions and failings”.

He said instead of taking the proper duty of care measures, employees at the school approached the young student at the time, telling her words to the effect “it has been noticed” and “your relationship (with Pollard) is not normal”.

“If procedures had been followed, the likelihood is the matter would have ended up in the hands of the police, and he would have been charged,” Mr Dockray said.

Instead, Pollard was not charged until 2018, when Mrs Munting came forward to the police herself.

He ultimately served 18 months in jail as of October 2020, after pleading guilty to persistent sexual abuse of a young person.

With a late amendment to pleadings, the current civil case may need to hear further evidence.

Acting Justice Porter reserved his decision, to deliver at a date to be determined.

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Originally published as Brilliant science student’s court battle against abusive teacher and Tas government wraps up