Donnellan & Anor v Cadeddu [2021] NSWSC 1600

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Donnellan & Anor v Cadeddu [2021] NSWSC 1600 Hearing dates: 29 and 30 November 2021 Date of orders: 30 November 2021 Decision date: 30 November 2021 Jurisdiction: Equity Before: White J Decision: 1. Plaintiffs' notice of motion filed 7 October 2021 dismissed. 2. Proceedings dismissed with costs. Catchwords: TORTS — Trespass — Where hedge on plaintiffs' land overhung defendants' land — Private nuisance — Abatement — Where defendants lopped plaintiffs' hedge and deposited lopped material on plaintiffs' land — Whether such deposits amounted to trespass — Whether defendants also interfered with hedge on plaintiffs' property — Where plaintiffs seek injunction against further cutting EQUITY — Defences — Unclean hands — Nexus between claim and claimant's disentitling conduct — Whether nexus established only where it can be said plaintiff would be taking advantage of own wrong if granted equitable relief Legislation Cited: Supreme Court Act 1970 (NSW) Trees (Disputes Between Neighbours) Act 2006 (NSW) Cases Cited: FAI Insurances Limited v Pioneer Concrete Services Limited (1987) 15 NSWLR 552 Goddard v Midland Railway Co (1891) 8 TLR 126 Kynoch Ltd v Rowlands (1912) 1 Ch 527 Lemmon v Webb [1894] 3 Ch 1 Lemmon v Webb [1895] 1 AC 1 Medulla v Abdul Hameed [2003] NSWSC 747 Mills v Brooker (1919) 1 KB 555 Paolucci v Makedyn [2021] NSWSC 215 Proctor v Bayley (1889) 42 Ch 390 Young v Wheeler (1987) Australian Torts Reports 80 - 126 Texts Cited: Balkin & Davis Law of Torts, 6th Edition, LexisNexis Australia Foster "Trees and Nuisance in New South Wales" 2007, 81 ALJ 291 Meagher, Gummow & Lehane's Equity Doctrines & Remedies, LexisNexis Butterworths 5th ed Category: Principal judgment Parties: Eamonn Donnellan (First Plaintiff) Sibeal Ni Mhaille (Second Plaintiff) Maria Rosa Cadeddu (First Defendant) Caterina Cadeddu (Second Defendant) Representation: Counsel: S R Doupe (Plaintiffs) Defendants in person