- Rising equestrian star accused of sexual harassment
- Matter that will be heard in court in September
A prominent equestrian trainer is bringing an Olympic gold medal winner to testify on his behalf as he fights sexual harassment allegations against him.
Kate Crauford, 25, launched legal action against decorated equestrian trainer, state selector and Adelaide Hills administrator Anthony Dean Thomas in December 2023.
Court documents allege that Crauford, a promising American jumper originally from Mount Gambier, experienced sexual harassment as a teenager.
The alleged incidents took place in 2020, when she was 19 and he was 45, and Thomas allegedly bombarded her with 1,500 inappropriate and offensive messages on social media.
That included receiving numerous inappropriate messages, being exposed to semi-nude images and frequently feeling uncomfortable.
She is seeking compensation for what she claims was an unlawful violation of her human rights by Thomas three years ago.
Rising equestrian star Kate Crauford (pictured) launched legal action against decorated equestrian trainer, state selector and administrator Anthony Dean Thomas in December.
Crauford claims Thomas (pictured) bombarded her with more than 1,500 inappropriate messages via social media when she was 19 and he was 45.
Thomas, who owns a prominent property near Mount Barker, refutes the allegations and claims his actions and messages were “friendly banter”.
Now Crauford has escalated her sexual harassment lawsuit against Thomas, seeking additional damages for her social media comments on the matter.
In response, the coach plans to defend himself by having South Australian Olympic gold medalist Wendy Schaeffer testify on his behalf.
Crauford’s legal team told the Federal Court they have reviewed his claim and are now seeking aggravated damages from Thomas. This request for greater compensation stems from Thomas’s behavior during the pre-trial process.
This is the third legal case related to these accusations. The first case, handled by the Australian Human Rights Commission, could not be resolved, leading to the current Federal Court claim.
Wendy Schaeffer, who won an Olympic gold medal at the 1996 Atlanta games, will testify on Thomas’ behalf.
Crauford’s (pictured) allegations against Thomas will be heard in late September
The second case involved Mr Thomas challenging a three-month ban from Equestrian SA at the Supreme Court over his social media comments about Crauford, his mother and others.
Matt Simpson, representing Crauford, cited delays in preparing for the trial.
Some delays were due to difficulties communicating with Crauford, who lives in Florida, US, and others were due to problems on Thomas’ side.
“So far he has not presented any evidence, neither layman nor expert,” he said.
‘We understand that there is a witness statement from Ms. Schaeffer regarding ‘customary practices in equestrian sports.’
‘We don’t know if this is a statement from a lay witness or an expert.
Judge Natalie Charlesworth set a trial date for late September.