Dr Siouxsie Wiles' lawyer says Auckland University conducted a witch-hunt against the microbiologist.
Dr Wiles is seeking what could amount to hundreds of thousands of dollars in remedies from the university for failing to protect her from threats by anti-vaxers.
But the university maintains it did everything it could.
Dr Siouxsie Wiles became a face of the COVID-19 response, making 2000 public statements, as well as an acclaimed short documentary and becoming New Zealander of the Year in 2021.
But she also became a target of the anti-vax movement whose threats became increasingly disturbing - and her lawyer claims her employers Auckland University were aware of it.
"They knew that she was being called a paedophile, an evil narcissist, a Nazi, a Satanist, a Lucifer and a psychopath. They knew that she was being threatened with hanging, being lined up before a firing squad and shot, being run over by a lorry, with rape and sexual violation, with death by execution, with citizen's arrest," Dr Wiles' lawyer Catherine Stewart said in court.
Dr Wiles contends Auckland University knew about the harassment for two-and-a-half years but didn't take her concerns seriously.
"And yet they failed to undertake a proper risk assessment, let alone any meaningful action to keep Professor Wiles physically and psychologically safe," Stewart said.
Dr Wiles said the response from the university was even worse than the abuse. She was advised to reduce her public commentary and an investigation was launched into her activities.
"Frankly, and I'm going to use the term witch-hunt your honour, but this has all the hallmarks of a witch-hunt," Stewart said.
Dr Wiles' lawyer said the university's actions were indefensible and warranted a "steely" response in the form of hundreds of thousands of dollars in compensation and penalties.
"With all due respect the court should be bold," Stewart said.
But the university says it did all it could; dedicating IT resources to monitoring her inbox and social media for threats, briefing campus security, and even installing security cameras at Dr Wiles's home.
"The defendant was not motivated by any ill-will or malice towards the plaintiff. On the contrary, the defendant was only trying to keep the plaintiff safe from harm," Auckland University lawyer Philip Skelton KC said in court.
The university pointed out that Auckland University still employs Dr Wiles and she wasn't singled out.
"She's not suffered any loss due to any actions of the defendant. While undoubtedly she's suffered stress and anxiety, this is as a result of the relentless campaign of abuse and hate that she's been subjected to," Skelton said.
The judge has reserved her decision in what will be a landmark case.
