Target has been forced to compensate a Sydney woman who was accused of stealing a packet of razors, punched and strip-searched, but never arrested or charged.
Julia Photi has been awarded $85,000 compensation for her ordeal.
Photi had been buying baby clothes at Burwood’s Target store in Sydney’s west when she was accused of the theft.
She emptied the contents of her bag to prove she did not have any razors but was then dragged to the store’s administration office, punched three times and strip-searched.
The security guard, Geoffrey Parker, behaved contrary to procedures, the District Court found, and Target, despite attempting to defend his behaviour, was ordered to pay compensation, including $25,000 in punitive damages.
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