Family gets payout over death threat after police used home for surveillance A FAMILY subjected to death threats after police used their home to spy on a notorious criminal has won a $120,000 payout. Details of the case are revealed in a family law judgment with claims the stress of the incident contributed to the wife's alcoholism. The court heard the family owned a number of properties, but one "had the misfortune to be situated immediately next to the notorious criminal Mr J." The judgment says the family home was used for surveillance by the police and this became known to the thug. He then "made death threats" against the family and they were forced to move. The family launched a civil damages claim against the state of Victoria and in 2004 were paid out $120,000. The Federal Circuit Court heard the payment was a direct result of their "misfortunes and the anxiety and distress" suffered by them as a result of their encounters with the criminal. The couple are now divorced and were engaged in a "bitterly fought property dispute." The husband argued he should receive an extra loading in the property split because of his "inordinate extra input." He said the wife's problems with alcohol and depression meant he was forced to contribute more to the family. The wife said she "fell into difficulties in 2002, not least because of the stress associated with Mr J." She argued the husband should receive no more than 5 per cent extra, claiming she had been able to look after the children by herself for a period of time. Judge Philip Burchardt said his impression was the wife's drinking would not have had a very significant effect on her looking after the children. But he said the husband had also taken on a second job and deserved an adjustment in his favour of just more than 7 per cent.