Burleigh Baker owner Geoffrey Dance sues ex-employee Lucy Davis after sexual assault claim
A top Gold Coast bakery owner is seeking $300,000 in damages from an ex-apprentice, rejecting her allegation on social media he sexually assaulted her. Read his full account of what occurred
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A top Gold Coast bakery owner is suing an ex-apprentice for $300,000 for defamation, claiming she alleged on social media he sexually assaulted her.
Burleigh Baker owner Geoffrey Dance is also pursuing the former apprentice 21-year-old Lucy Davis, to repay a $30,000 “settlement sum”.
Mr Dance lodged the statement of claim in Southport District Court against her on Friday after her video on Instagram claiming she was “sexually assaulted”.
Mr Dance denied all her claims and his statement of claim said Ms Davis was liable to return a $30,000 settlement, paid to “avoid any further dealings with (Ms Davis)”.
Ms Davis’ now-deleted video – shared to her business account Burnt Croissants on July 4 – said: “September last year, I started a baker’s apprenticeship at Burleigh Baker.”
She then claims: “In my first two weeks, the owner and my boss Geoffrey Dance made some extremely inappropriate comments. In my third week there, Geoffrey Dance sexually assaulted me.”
Mr Dance’s statement of claim said her claims were defamatory “because it meant and was understood to mean that (Mr Dance) sexually assaulted (Ms Davis) when the defendant worked as an apprentice at Burleigh Baker”.
“The publication … has damaged the plaintiff in both his personal and professional reputation, as well as cause him substantial hurt, distress and embarrassment.”
Her video had 1750 likes, 200 comments, 1500 shares times and views by 100,000 people, his statement of claim said.
Outlining what it calls the “true events”, his statement of claim says in the September 20 incident – witnessed by two people – Mr Dance “touched the defendant’s shoulders and upper back to illustrate where (Ms Davis) could improve her posture while working at the croissant bench”.
“(It was) a gesture (Mr Dance) made to staff at Burleigh Baker to prevent back and neck injuries or soreness from working at a bench,” the statement of claim adds.
Ms Davis left work the same day. At a meeting Mr Dance organised two days later, the claim said Ms Davis complained Mr Dance had allegedly “sexually harassed” her.
Her employment was terminated six days later, on September 29, the statement of claim said.
Ms Davis’ Fair Work Commission application in March alleged “(Mr Dance) sexually harassed (Ms Davis) while at work at Burleigh Baker”, the statement of claim says.
His statement of claim added on March 21 that Burleigh Baker’s response “denied the defendant had been sexually harassed”.
The documents submitted to District Court said no assessment of her Fair Work application was “ever undertaken” by the Fair Work Commission.
The Commission declined to comment, citing “strict privacy … in relation to certain matter types”.
In her Instagram video, Ms Davis had added she was able to open her commercial kitchen for Burnt Croissants after a $30,000 settlement from Mr Dance.
His statement of claim said: “The ($30,000) offer was made by the (Mr Dance) and Burleigh Baker in denial of the allegation in the application and without admission of any liability or wrongdoing.
“The offer was not made for any other reason other than to avoid any further dealings with the (Ms Davis) or the application.
“(Ms Davis) has breached the non-disparagement terms of the settlement and is liable to return the $30,000 settlement sum.”
The documents said Mr Dance was suing for “general compensatory damages” of at least $250,000 plus $50,000 for “aggravated compensatory damages”.
A separate Burleigh Baker statement to the Bulletin said the “severity and malice of these false statement have left us no choice but to commence District Court proceedings for defamation”.
“The damage suffered by Mr Dance and Burleigh Baker has been aggravated by Ms Davis’ knowledge that the meaning conveyed in Ms Davis’ video is untrue, because the truth is Mr Dance did not ever sexually assault Ms Davis.
“Our goal in taking this course of action is to set the record straight.”
The statement of claim said Ms Davis had refused to apologise and not taken any steps to repair damage she had done to his reputation.
A Burleigh Baker statement said it endeavoured to maintain a safe workplace environment.
“Any allegations of misconduct are addressed with the utmost seriousness and investigated thoroughly as we take seriously our responsibility to provide a safe and respectful workplace where no individual is above the law.”
On Ms Davis’ behalf, Maurice Blackburn Lawyers media manager Paddy Murphy said in response to the statement: “We’ve got no comment”.
Mr Dance has no current or previous criminal proceedings in Queensland.
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