Family Violence Perpetrator Forced to Sell Assets

A horrific case of family violence that resulted in the death of one woman and another sustaining serious injury has ended with the perpetrator of the violence being forced to sell the majority of his assets to compensate for the injuries he caused.

The Australian reports that Klaus and Olga Neubert met when he was 55 and she was just 18. He was from Tasmania and had substantial wealth, while she was from Asia and had no assets. He was reportedly a very controlling husband, who gave his wife little independence and limited access to money.

They were married for around 20 years before Olga decided to leave her husband. She had no means of supporting herself, and so applied to the Family Court for urgent assistance. Klaus apparently claimed he should keep 80% of their assets.

Seven months after Olga left him Klaus forced the car she was driving to stop and shot and killed her. He also shot her friend, Mrs Cooper, who was with Olga in the car, causing serious injuries to her hand. He was found guilty of murder and is now serving a prison term.

Mrs Cooper sued him for damages and was awarded $2.3 million in compensation. In a bid to reduce the amount of money he had available to pay this compensation, Klaus tried to transfer the bulk of his assets into his wife’s estate. However, the judge wouldn’t allow this and has now ordered that the majority of Klaus’s assets be sold so that Mrs Cooper can be compensated in full. Some money will also apparently go to Olga Neubert’s family and various charities she supported.

Unfortunately, domestic violence occurs all too frequently in Australia, with often tragic consequences. New research suggests that one woman dies at the hands of her current or former partner nearly every week.

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Domestic violence of any kind is very difficult to deal with. It can often leave people fearing for their safety and feeling alone. At Szabo & Associates, Solicitors we have practiced in this area of the law for many years, and know how to recognise the signs of domestic violence and how to help our clients out of difficult situations. Please call us today on (02) 9281-5088 or fill in our online contact form.