Former Bega Cheese CEO Maurice Van Ryn ordered to pay abuse victim damages

Maurice Van Ryn, a former Bega Cheese chief executive, has been behind bars since 2014 as he serves a lengthy jail sentence over the sexual abuse of several children.

One of them successfully sued Van Ryn, who withdrew his defence to the lawsuit, in the NSW Supreme Court on Wednesday.

Justice Nicholas Chen said Van Ryn sexually abused this victim at his home and in his car.

There were four incidents at the home in 2010 and 2011, when the victim was between 14 and 15.

The boy started visiting Van Ryn's place because it had a pool, spa, tennis court and fast internet, making it "more fun" than his home.

But Van Ryn turned it into a nightmarish location, raping the boy in his spa bath, loungeroom and spare room while his wife was not home.

The abuse stopped when the victim moved interstate but occurred again in Van Ryn's car when, at the end of 2012, the boy returned to the area of the offender's home to visit family for Christmas.

More than five years passed before the boy reported the incidents at Van Ryn's home to police.

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Van Ryn, who later pleaded guilty to four counts of aggravated sexual intercourse with a child, was already behind bars by the time he received a nine-year jail sentence.

His existing non-parole period was extended by 12 months, giving it an April 2029 expiry.

Assessing damages on Wednesday, Justice Chen said the victim had been "a happy, well-adjusted, thoughtful and caring young man" before he was abused by Van Ryn.

The judge said the abuse had "profound effects" on the victim, who continued to experience suicidal ideation, depression, insomnia and other detrimental impacts.

These issues have resulted in the victim, who has been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress and major depressive disorders, being hospitalised twice.

Justice Chen ultimately entered judgment for the victim in the sum of $1,416,829.85.

This included money for general, aggravated and exemplary damages, lost earning capacity and superannuation, future out-of-pocket expenses, and interest.

"The sexual abuse of the [victim] demonstrates a deliberate and outrageous disregard of his rights by [Van Ryn], over an extended period of time," Justice Chen said.

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