Sex complainant 'ill from media glare'

Kristy Fraser-Kirk. Photo / The Australian

The intrusive media frenzy surrounding the David Jones sexual harassment case has induced a psychiatric illness in complainant Kristy Fraser-Kirk, who now regularly "checks under her car", a court has been told.

The 27-year-old's lawyers say naming other women linked to the case would put them at similar risk.

The Federal Court continued to hear pre-trial applications in Sydney in the A$37 million-plus ($48 million) claim Fraser-Kirk has lodged against some directors of David Jones and its former chief executive Mark McInnes.

Her allegations include that McInnes made unwelcome sexual advances to her at a function early this year. She also says the retailer had knowledge of McInnes' behaviour.

Fraser-Kirk's court statement has outlined alleged behaviour on the part of McInnes towards five other unnamed David Jones employees.

Lawyers for McInnes and David Jones say the women's identities should be made available so the allegations can be investigated, but Fraser-Kirk's barrister, Rachel Francois, says that would put the women at risk.

Francois told Federal Court Justice Geoffrey Flick that Fraser-Kirk had developed an "adjustment disorder" as a result of publicity about the case.

The attention at one point had prompted Fraser-Kirk to flee Australia.

Justice Flick accepted that there had been "a degree of intrusion by the media into at least the lives of [Fraser-Kirk] and [McInnes]".

- AAP