West Indies Player Ordered To Pay Huge Compensation To Former Girlfriend

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC) – High Court Judge Frank Seepersad, on Monday, said, the objectification of women continues to be viewed as culturally accepted, as he ordered West Indies batsman, Lendl Simmons, to pay TT$150,000 (One TT dollar =US$0.16 cents)  inclusive of aggravated damages to a former lover in a case dubbed here as “revenge porn”.

“We must ask ourselves, how are we to build a developed nation when we encourage and celebrate disrespect,’ Justice Seepersad said, adding that “it is rather unfortunate that a young and talented cricketer like the defendant behaved in such a manner”.

He said that Simmons’ behavior “demonstrated a flagrant disregard for the feelings, emotion and dignity for the claimant”.

Simmons left the court without making any comment to reporters and the lawyers for the claimant said they would issue a statement later on Monday.

Last month, the judge had delayed his ruling to October 26, on whether or not  the West Indies batsman breached confidentiality by leaking sexually explicit photographs of an account executive with whom he had an extra martial affair.

Justice Seepersad made the announcement after a day in which the court heard steamy details of Simmons’ short lived affair with Therese Ho, who sought substantial damages from Simmons for breaching the common law principle of confidence after he allegedly shared intimate photos of her.

She applied for and received an injunction on June 5, 2014, from Justice Ronnie Boodoosingh preventing any further disclosure of material which emanated from her relationship with Simmons.

The case had come down to who did what to whom first. Did the professional cricketer breach the confidentiality of Ho by leaking sexually explicit photographs of her performing oral sex on him or did she breach his confidentiality, when she ratted on him to his fiancée about their nine-month sexual relationship?

The court file was sealed on request of Ho’s attorneys, but had been reopened last year when the case was set for trial before Justice Seepersad.

Simmons had denied being involved with Ho but admitted the two had a brief, singular sexual encounter.

Ho has alleged that Simmons shared the intimate photos of her with his fellow cricket teammates while in India.

Simmons in his testimony said it was Ho who first sent the photograph of her performing oral sex on him to his fiancée, now his wife and that he only sent the explicit photo to the father of her younger daughter after the latter asked for it.

He insisted he only sent the photographs to one person and did not know if his team mates Kieron Pollard or Dwayne Bravo also got the photos.

“It was not an act of revenge or malice,” he said when asked why he sent the photographs to her ex-boyfriend. “I was upset,” he said.

In his ruling, Justice Seepersad said that “the objectification of women continues to be viewed as culturally acceptable as is evident in our Soca and Chutney music”.

He was critical of the Trinidad and Tobago archaic laws regarding the internet and social media which he said do not protect victims.