The Mercury
July 13, 2024
A former ‘cult’ leader, now living in the Huon Valley, has lost her bid to appeal against a defamation finding on Friday, with a Hobart judge saying her case had no “significant prospects of success”.
Dr Natasha Lakaev is the former leader of NSW organisation Universal Knowledge and is now the proprietor of bed and breakfast, The Bears Went Over The Mountain in Geeveston.
Dr Lakaev previously launched a defamation battle against former follower Carli McConkey over claims she made about Dr Lakaev in her self-published book, The Cult Effect.
The claims include that Lakaev labelled herself a reincarnation of Jesus Christ and Ms McConkey was forced to parade naked in front of Lakaev.
Dr Lakaev wished to challenge all sixteen findings found in the dismissal of her defamation claim.
She alleged the presiding judge made findings based “solely on character” and “improper handling” of Ms McConkey’s expert witness and that her former legal counsel represented her “so badly” an appeal should be allowed.
Lakaev ran into issues when filing her appeal to the Supreme Court however, with a change of legal representation three times before finally representing herself, a process which took two months.
Court documents revealed that Lakaev’s original legal representation Hobart firm Butler McIntyre & Butler was unwilling to act for her in the appeal due to an outstanding trial bill over $100,000.
In handing down his decision, Chief Justice Alan Blow said Dr Lakaev was “unlikely to succeed” in an appeal to the Full Court – a court consisting of three or more Supreme Court Judges.
“If the appeal is not dismissed, the respondent will suffer significant prejudice in bearing the burden of defending the proceedings,” Chief Justice Blow said.
“There is absolutely no indication that any of the appellant’s original or foreshadowed grounds of appeal have any significant prospects of success.”
Chief Justice Blow also ruled that Lakaev pay Ms McConkey’s costs in addressing the appeal.
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