A Victorian post office owner has been ordered to pay a former employee more than $300,000 in damages after sexually harassing her for months.
David Smith, owner of the Geelong West Licensed Post Office, pestered Amanda Collins for sex, offered to pay her money if she would let him massage her thighs, and threatened to have sex with her even when she said she would not sleep with him.
In July, VCAT vice-president Judge Pamela Jenkins found Ms Collins had been subjected to continued sexual harassment between January 5 and April 4, 2013, ultimately causing her to leave her job.
Ms Collins said she told Mr Smith she was happily married and that she saw him only as a "friend and a father figure" when he first told her he found her "beautiful, desirable and intelligent".
She thought this would be the end of the matter. However, what followed was a prolonged period of sexual harassment, which included lewd text messages, inappropriate touching and writing a poem inside a Valentine's Day card begging for sex.
News that makes sense
Your trusted source for staying up-to-date with the world around you. Get free daily news updates and analysis, straight to your inbox.
Ms Collins said Mr Smith put his hand down her top and rested it near her breasts, saying: "I like this."
VCAT also heard Mr Smith asked Ms Collins: "How does it feel knowing that one day when you walk out of here, you will have had sex with me?"
After she responded that it would not happen, he replied: "I will just take it anyway."
Judge Jenkins ordered Mr Smith to pay Ms Collins $332,280 for 33 incidents of sexual harassment, despite the victim initially suing her boss for $100,000.
Ms Jenkins said Mr Smith caused "unreasonable and avoidable stress and delay by frustrating [Ms Collins'] presentation of her case ... by persisting in outright denials and implausible explanations in the face of strong and consistent evidence of the applicant".
Ms Collins has been awarded general damages of $180,000, aggravated damages of $20,000, past and future earnings and superannuation losses of $120,000, and $12,280 for out-of-pocket expenses.
