Kirra Wilden’s message after $500k victory over ex NRL star Michael Jennings
Kirra Wilden has spoken for the first time since winning an ugly civil case against ex-husband and former NRL star Michael Jennings, who is now set to be out of pocket more than $1 million.
Police & Courts
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Kirra Wilden wants other rape victims to know that her legal victory against ex husband and former NRL star, Michael Jennings, has opened up a new avenue for justice.
Mr Jennings was ordered to pay Ms Wilden almost $500,000 in damages on Tuesday after Judge David Wilson found the former State of Origin star raped his ex-wife four times during their brief marriage.
The case had an unusual but extremely significant feature in that it was not a criminal matter.
Instead of involving the police, Ms Wilden sued Mr Jennings in a civil case for financial damages — and won.
Ms Wilden is still too traumatised to be interviewed but issued a statement through her lawyer, Moya de Luca.
The 32-year-old said she was pleased the case had shown domestic violence victims there was an alternative to the criminal courts when seeking justice.
“I am happy that the case gives an opportunity for victims of harm in marriage — of either gender — to seek relief in civil proceedings,” Ms Wilden said.
The result is set to cost Mr Jennings — who played 13 games for NSW and seven for the Kangaroos during his 13-year NRL career — more than $1 million.
The 2013 premiership winner with the Sydney Roosters was ordered to pay Ms Wilden $490,000 in damages and aggravated damages.
But the 33-year-old was also ordered by Judge Wilson to pay the bill for Ms Wilden’s lawyers, which included a team of solicitors and barristers led by Jeremy Morris SC.
The ex NRL star will also have to pay his own lawyers, which will likely push the total cost in the seven figure mark.
Ms Wilden also said through Ms de Luca: “I now have an opportunity through this system to heal.”
It was a reference to the way the case evolved to become a civil action against the ex NRL star.
Judge Wilson told the court Ms Wilden “did not wish to risk or ruin Mr Jennings’ (NRL) career by having him charged by police”.
Instead, the court heard that prior to the case beginning, Ms Wilden had been trying to negotiate an asset split with Mr Jennings in another court.
However when her solicitors in that case tried to get instructions from Ms Wilden she shut down emotionally. She was referred to see a psychiatrist who diagnosed her with post traumatic stress disorder after hearing the seriousness of the allegations Ms Wilden made against Mr Jennings.
When the nature of the mistreatment Ms Wilden suffered was revealed, the level of damages potentially payable meant the matter had to be heard in the Sydney District Civil Court as a separate case.
The case is a rare example where a rape victim has sued for an intentional tort in the civil courts.
Judge Wilson told the court it was only in 1996 that NSW Parliament passed legislation that revoked a husband’s legal “immunity” from raping his wife.
The court heard evidence that Mr Jennings raped Ms Wilden four times between October 2014 and early in 2016.
The pair were married in 2015 in an extravagant ceremony where the rugby league international spared no expense in booking St Mary’s Cathedral followed by a reception at a harbourside venue.
Mr Jennings denied the assaults and has never been charged.
At the end of the case, Judge Wilson ordered that the matter be referred to the NSW Police for investigation.
“The fifth order is a referral of the matter to the police which I consider myself duty-bound to do,” Judge Wilson told the court.
Mr Jennings played his last game for the Parramatta Eels in 2020 and is in the all-time top ten for most tries scored in the NRL.
His rugby league career was likely terminated in October when he accepted a three year doping ban after testing positive to a banned substance in 2020.
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