Murdered schoolteacher Stephanie Scott’s family sues NSW government

MURDERED schoolteacher Stephanie Scott’s family is suing the NSW government three years after she was killed by a cleaner at the school where she worked.

MURDERED schoolteacher Stephanie Scott’s family is suing the NSW government three years after she was raped and killed at Leeton High School days before her wedding.

Relatives of the 26-year-old who was slain by school cleaner Vincent Stanford who dumped her body in national park have filed claims in the NSW District Court, AAP reports.

The NSW Department of Education was not made aware of the claims filed in the state’s District Court before proceedings commenced this week, AAP understands.

A department spokesman declined to comment in detail, citing the current legal action.

“The department is aware the circumstances resulting in these proceedings are sensitive and all efforts will be made to respond to the claims appropriately,” he said in a statement.

Ms Scott was sexually assaulted and killed by Stanford on Easter Sunday 2015 when she had gone to prepare lessons for a relief teacher because she was marrying her long term fiance, Aaron Leeson-Woolley the following Saturday.

Murdered schoolteacher Stephanie Scott, pictured with her mother at a pre-wedding shower party in 2015.

Stephanie Scott with fiance Aaron Leeson-Woolley.

Students hang balloons tribute for their murdered teacher Stephanie Scott on the fence of Leeton High School. Picture: Chris McKeen.

Ms Scott taught English and drama at Leeton, 550km southwest of Sydney, where Stanford was employed as a cleaner but not rostered on for work on that Sunday.

Ms Scott’s last known communication was an email at 12.59pm to a bus company arranging transport for guests to her wedding.

Stanford saw Ms Scott in the room where she was working, went home to collect a knife, handcuffs and other items and came back because he “had to kill her”.

Murderer Vincent Stanford is taken from Griffith Court after his sentencing to life. Picture: Michael Frogley.

Vincent Stanford's police confession to Ms Scott’s rape and murder. Picture: NSW Police.

Stephanie Scott's fiance Aaron Leeson-Woolley arrives at Griffith court in 2016. Picture: Michael Frogley.

He lay in wait until Ms Scott had finished her work and was walking out of the school buildings when he grabbed her, beat her multiple times and stabbed her in the neck.

After Ms Scott failed to return home, there was speculation that she might have got “cold feet’ about her forthcoming wedding, a notion immediately dismissed by her family.

Five days later, on the day before her wedding, Ms Scott’s burnt body was found Cocoparra National Park, 70km north west of Leeton.

In 2016, Stanford was convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole.

A Supreme Court judge described the murder as “calculating” and an attack of “extreme brutality by a man of substantial size upon a defenceless young woman of modest size who had no means of escape or raising the alarm”.