By Jenny Noyes
Former NRL star Michael Jennings has been ordered to pay his ex-wife nearly $500,000 in damages, with his conduct referred to police, following a civil dispute in the NSW District Court.
Kirra Wilden, 32, told the court Mr Jennings verbally and sexually abused her during their relationship which ended in May 2016. She said he would also drink and gamble heavily, and engaged in regular cocaine use.
Former Parramatta centre Michael Jennings.Credit: Getty
Ms Wilden alleged Mr Jennings forced her to have sex on five or six occasions between October 2014 and May 2016 when the couple lived together, and that she developed post-traumatic stress disorder as a result of the abuse.
The former Parramatta Eels and NSW centre was banned from the NRL for three years after testing positive to performance enhancing drugs in 2020. Mr Jennings has denied the sexual assaults occurred. He said if his ex-wife had developed PTSD it was not as a result of his conduct. No complaint has been filed with police and no charges laid.
However, in finding in favour of Ms Wilden on Tuesday, Judge David Wilson SC referred the matter to NSW Police for investigation and consideration of criminal prosecution of Mr Jennings.
During hearings for the case earlier this year, details were aired regarding four of the alleged sexual assaults, three of which Ms Wilden said occurred when Mr Jennings came home drunk. On at least one occasion, Jennings’ intoxication resulted in him wetting the bed.
Judge Wilson accepted evidence from Ms Wilden and a number of her doctors that following the couple’s separation, she suffered nightmares and flashbacks, and would avoid sexual intercourse with subsequent partners.
Judge Wilson said Ms Wilden “impressed as an honest and reliable witness ... there was a consistency to her evidence which made it credible”.
In contrast, he found Mr Jennings’ testimony was “shown to be contradicted by the contemporaneous record” on a number of occasions, and “the manner in which he gave evidence was unimpressive.
“He was reluctant to accept a number of propositions until they were demonstrated by the contemporaneous records to be correct,” Judge Wilson said.
He found, on the balance of probabilities – the standard of proof in civil cases – that Jennings “raped Ms Wilden on at least four occasions” and his denial of the allegations “was either due to his memory impairment by intoxication or giving evidence which was not truthful”.
Judge Wilson said the impact of sexual abuse was aggravated by verbal abuse, with Mr Jennings calling Ms Wilden a “slut” and accusing her of sleeping with other men.
“It is plain that Ms Wilden has suffered enormous insult, humiliation, embarrassment and shame by the conduct of Mr Jennings, and that ought to be reflected” in the award of damages, Judge Wilson said.
He ordered Mr Jennings to pay Ms Wilden $490,000 in damages, which included $50,000 for each sexual assault and $100,000 for economic loss, along with other damages. He was also ordered to pay her costs.
Mr Jennings, 33, has said he wants to return to the NRL once his ban ends at the end of the 2023 season. Before the Eels, he played for the Panthers and the Roosters in a 298-game career.
Comment has been sought from lawyers for both parties.
The Morning Edition newsletter is our guide to the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up here.