**Woman Awarded $93,000 After Unlawful Strip Search by Police** A woman has been awarded $93,000 in damages after being unlawfully strip-searched by New South Wales police during a music festival. The ruling, made by Justice Dina Yehia in the NSW Supreme Court, could have significant implications for thousands of others who experienced similar searches at music festivals. Raya Meredith, the lead plaintiff in a class action lawsuit, was subjected to a humiliating search at the Splendour in the Grass festival in 2018. The court found that police had acted unlawfully when they ordered her to remove her tampon and expose her body. Justice Yehia described the treatment Meredith endured as “egregious” and highlighted a “flagrant” disregard for her rights. The class action, initiated by Slater and Gordon Lawyers and the Redfern Legal Centre, represents over 3,000 individuals who were strip-searched by police at music festivals from 2016 to 2022. The court awarded Meredith $43,000 for assault, battery, and false imprisonment, along with $50,000 in aggravated damages. The amount for exemplary damages is still to be determined. During the search, a drug detection dog had sniffed in Meredith's direction but did not indicate that she was carrying drugs. Despite this, police took her to a makeshift tent where she was ordered to undress and submit to a search. Meredith described the experience as “degrading and humiliating,” stating, "I felt like vomiting." Justice Yehia noted that the police had not provided sufficient justification for the search, stating that the officers did not meet the legal requirements for conducting a strip search. She emphasized that the mere indication from a drug dog does not justify such invasive procedures. The court also heard that police had admitted the search was unlawful just days before the class action hearing began. This admission led to the withdrawal of 22 police witnesses who were expected to contest Meredith's account. William Zerno, a senior associate at Slater and Gordon, remarked that Meredith's experience was not an isolated incident. He stated, "The egregious experience of the plaintiff was not an outlier. Minors were strip searched. Some people were subjected to cavity searches, and people were strip searched in public view." Justice Yehia's ruling could lead to significant financial implications for the state, with potential damages for the class action estimated to reach $150 million. The court will reconvene in October to address the claims of other group members. Samantha Lee, a senior solicitor at Redfern Legal Centre, praised the courage of those involved in the case, stating, "This has been powered by the courage of young people and children. It is their courage that has brought this case before the court." The outcome of this case may set a precedent for how police conduct strip searches at music festivals in the future, potentially rendering many such searches unlawful.