MARIYA'S FIGHT FOR JUSTICE FROM THE NZDF

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Help Mariya get justice. She was sexually harassed, assaulted and bullied. NZDF stood back, did NOTHING and it was swept under the carpet!

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As a teenaged Airforce recruit, Mariya Taylor was repeatedly sexually assaulted and bullied by Sergeant Robert Roper. She is now fighting for compensation from the New Zealand Defence Force, and faces $200,000 in court costs. Those costs include a demand of more than $50,000 from her attacker Robert Roper, in jail for multiple rape and sexual assault on his own children and $150,000.00 from her employer who did not stop Roper’s behaviour. Please help her find justice.

******UPDATE******

Great news! The NZDF has withdrawn their application for their portion of the costs however Roper and his legal team are still pursuing costs.

Mariya has already accrued significant legal costs and expenses thus far and she has an appeal pending which has large costs associated with it.

Please let’s help ease the financial burden.

Please see the updates tab for recent news articles.

Main paragraphs:

In the mid 1980s, 18 year old Airforce recruit Mariya Taylor was sexually harassed, assaulted and bullied by her boss, Sergeant Robert Roper. Roper's behaviour was well known around the Whenuapai/Hobsonville airforce base, and many young women were complaining about it but nothing was done to stop him.

In 2013, Roper was convicted of 20 counts of the rape and sexual assault of his daughters and others. When Mariya Taylor heard of the convictions, she knew her own torment would never be over unless the NZDF accepted their responsibility. She decided to sue the NZDF and Roper for compensation. In 2018, the High Court found she had been assaulted and abused by Roper but insufficient evidence of a formal complaint by Mariya and her claim fell outside the statute of limitations time limit. She lost the case on these points.

The case is now heading to the Court of Appeal. Mariya has already spent tens of thousands of dollars fighting her case, and Roper and the NZDF are asking her for more than $200,000.00 for their High Court costs. Robert Roper, in jail on child rape convictions, is asking her for more than $50,000. Mariya has put her house on the line as security for court costs and fears losing her home. Please help her fight for justice.

Please click the "updates" tab for link to media articles and a personal message of thanks from Mariya.

Talia Canvin's involvement (page creator)

Mariya is my close friend and she is involved in a long court case with regards to historical abuse and the NZ Defence Force and Robert Roper who is in jail for sexual abuse.

Use of funds

To cover already accrued High Court legal costs such as: court filing fee, hearing fee for the 8 day trial ($24,000), witness expenses (some came from US and other parts of NZ), Court of Appeal filing fee ($980), setting down fee ($2,600), hearing fees (over $2,600 a day) numerous appeal books for the appeal judges. As a result of a court judgement handed down on 21 Jan 2018, Mariya must also pay $28,039.25 to Robert Roper the perpetrator who is currently imprisoned for rape and other offences.

Latest update

Mariya is now in the eighth year of her proceedings against Robert Roper and the Attorney - General representing the New Zealand Defence Force (the Crown). 19 August 2024

Posted by: Givealittle

Notwithstanding that the Court of Appeal had ordered the return of the case to the High Court to deal with the issues of damages (compensatory and exemplary) the Crown persuaded the Supreme Court to overrule the Court of Appeal which according to the relevant legislation was the final repository of the power to determine matters arising under the accident compensation legislation. In so doing the Supreme Court restricted Mariya's entitlement to damages to that of exemplary damages.

The legislation says that Parliament is sovereign. Parliament has given jurisdiction to the Supreme Court to hear and rule on cases save for those cases that are statutorily controlled by legislation providing that the Court of Appeal has the final say in cases where such legislation so provides.

The accident compensation legislation provides that the Court of Appeal has the final say in cases of that kind, not the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court has ruled contrary to the legislation that the Accident Compensation Act of 2001 prevents Mariya from obtaining compensatory damages.

This issue Mariya proposes to petition the parliament to exercise its sovereignty over the attempt by the Crown to nullify the statutory demand that the final decision resided with the Court of Appeal. In the event that is not achieved and domestic remedies are exhausted she is prepared to take her case to the United Nations Human Rights Committee with the intention of highlighting the failure of the courts in New Zealand to abide by the rule of law.

In October the case has a fixture before the High Court judge who is in a very difficult position given that the Court of Appeal which is supposed to have the final say on matters under the Accident Compensation Act 2001 has apparently been overruled and is subject to the decision of the Supreme Court. Courts of a status below that of the High Court have declined to follow the Supreme Court decision in Mariya's case and have held that it has no commanding authority.

The costs of the litigation have seen Crown Law paid $1,150,000 so far for their fees and $175,000 for the legal aid provided to Robert Roper for his legal costs all at the expense of the taxpayer.

Given the findings of the Royal Commission on Abuse in Care the complaints found justified by the Commission are almost a carbon copy of the case of Mariya Taylor and the RNZAF.

Mariya of course is anxious to see the litigation completed but feels she is letting down those who have suffered as she has and like them has received no compensation whatsoever and unless a stand is taken at this stage the New Zealand legal system will be in disarray and has already been described as failing to comply with the rule of law by international observers.

This present case highlights the difficulties sufferers of the wrongful acts have in trying to obtain any retribution while the government entities such as Crown Law receive vast fees. Mariya would be extremely grateful for any assistance she could receive to her Givealittle page which has assisted her to date in continuing her battle for justice.

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