Western Cape lesbians win damages over homophobic pub attack

The Western Cape High Court has awarded damages to a lesbian couple who were victims of an unprovoked homophobic pub attack two years ago.

Drum reported that the women, identified only as 37-year-old LD and 27-year-old AC, were abused by pub patron Jacques Thiart after he became furious when AC spurned his advances.

He called AC “a fucking whore, a dyke” and  “a cunt”. Thiart also said that he hated “all fucking lesbians” and that “she needed a cock up her arse”.

After threatening to kill her, he left the pub only to return later to pull her head back and forth by her hair.

When LD went to the pub the next day to follow up on the attack, staff member Denise Gerber physically threw her out, injuring her knee.

According to pub owner Derrick Giles, the woman was ejected because patrons had objected to the lesbian couple.

Acting Judge Leslie Weinkove awarded each women R150 000 in damages as well as separate amounts for medical expenses, counselling and lost earnings. They were also awarded costs in the case.

“Conduct of this nature is unfair because no-one is entitled to treat a person differently in a manner which impairs their fundamental dignity as human beings, because all people are inherently equal in dignity,” said Acting Judge Weinkove.

“This has been a very stressful thing for two years. I really wouldn’t wish this whole process on my worst enemy,” LD told News24. The couple broke up a year ago, in part because of the stresses of the attack and the resulting case.

The case is believed to be the first in which a homophobic incident has been pursued in both criminal and civil courts.