The Australian government will pay hundreds-of-thousands of dollars to a victim-survivor of historical child sexual and physical abuse.
The man will receive a $300,000 settlement from the Commonwealth of Australia after suffering abuse as a teenager stationed at a Royal Australian Navy base 50 years ago.
The settlement was approved by the ACT Supreme Court in a decision published on Wednesday by Justice Verity McWilliam.
The decision revealed the man enlisted in the Australian Defence Force as a 15-year-old in 1969, the same year he was first abused while stationed at HMAS Leeuwin in Western Australia.
He faced further abuse during subsequent postings in 1970 and 1971.
The survivor's statement of claim alleged he developed post-traumatic stress disorder as a result of the abuse.
Justice McWilliam said the man's medical condition was an important factor as to whether the matter could go to trial or if a settlement was appropriate.
Following a stroke in April 2021 and due to the consequent onset of dementia, he is now considered to be a person with a cognitive disability.
"His present inability to give competent oral evidence or be cross-examined, and the risks associated with that fact, strongly favour settlement," the judge said.
Justice McWilliam appointed the man's wife, who acts as his "formal full-time carer", as a private trustee of the settlement funds.
The woman previously gave evidence about how that money would be used for the man's care and future accommodation.
The majority of the settlement sum "will be preserved for the future care of the plaintiff", and will go towards a nursing assistant in the event that the man's dementia deteriorates further.
The court also ordered the Commonwealth to pay the man's costs of proceedings as agreed or assessed.
