Cate Sayers has launched a defamation suit against her estranged husband, former Carlton Football Club president Luke Sayers, alleging he falsely implicated her in a scandal involving an explicit image posted to his X account. The legal battle, unfolding in Victoria's Supreme Court, centres on a statutory declaration Mr Sayers reportedly provided to the AFL Commission's integrity unit, which Mrs Sayers claims wrongly attributed the image's dissemination to her.
The core of the defamation claim hinges on Mrs Sayers' accusation that her husband included "private and false information" about her mental health, relationships, and history in the statutory declaration, "shamelessly" publishing it for the "improper purpose of presenting her as unstable, untrustworthy."
During a recent court appearance, Cate Sayers was observed weeping as the case intensified. Her legal team is seeking public adjudication before a jury, a move opposed by Mr Sayers' counsel, who indicated the proceedings would likely hinge on the credibility of the witnesses. Mrs Sayers is also pursuing court orders to compel the AFL and Carlton to release internal communications pertinent to the scandal, suggesting the league's integrity investigation may have been compromised and insufficiently independent.
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Mr Sayers resigned as Carlton president shortly after the image appeared on his account in January last year. The AFL conducted an investigation, ultimately clearing him of wrongdoing and accepting his claim that his account had been compromised by hackers. However, court documents filed by Mrs Sayers suggest she disputes the thoroughness of this investigation.
The dispute has exposed a deep rift within the family, with two of Mr Sayers' four daughters issuing a statement asserting their support for their father. They described the legal proceedings as stemming from "a long and complicated family history, with very different accounts of past events."
The case is scheduled for further proceedings, with Mr Sayers yet to file his formal defence. Lawyers for Mr Sayers have reportedly sought to have the matter transferred to the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia.
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