Mathews v State of Queensland (No 2)

In *Mathews v State of Queensland (No 2)*, the plaintiff, Ms. Mathews, brought proceedings against the State of Queensland. The dispute concerned the State's alleged liability for injuries sustained by Ms. Mathews during her detention in a correctional facility. The matter came before Judge Jarrett of the Supreme Court of Queensland.

The central legal issue before the Court was whether the State owed a duty of care to Ms. Mathews to protect her from harm while she was in custody, and if so, whether that duty had been breached, leading to her injuries. The Court was required to consider the scope of the duty of care owed by a custodian to an inmate, particularly in relation to the risk of self-harm or harm from other inmates.

Judge Jarrett applied established principles of negligence, focusing on the foreseeability of harm and the reasonableness of the steps taken by the State to prevent it. The Court considered the specific circumstances of Ms. Mathews' detention, including any known vulnerabilities or risks she presented or faced. The reasoning involved an assessment of whether the State's actions or omissions fell below the standard of care expected of a reasonable custodian in similar circumstances, taking into account the inherent difficulties and risks associated with managing a correctional facility. The Court ultimately found that the State had breached its duty of care to Ms. Mathews.

The Court ordered that the State of Queensland pay damages to Ms. Mathews in an amount to be assessed.