Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd v Rawlings [2022] NSWCA 4

Court of Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd v Rawlings [2022] NSWCA 4 Hearing dates: 17 August 2021 Date of orders: 4 February 2022 Decision date: 04 February 2022 Before: Bell P at [1]; Meagher JA at [2]; Leeming JA at [115] Decision: (1) Grant leave to appeal on grounds 1 to 4. (2) Allow the appeal. (3) As to the proceedings in the District Court: - (a) Set aside the judgment for the plaintiff ordered on 22 December 2020. (b) Set aside the order for costs made on 19 February 2021. (c) Dismiss the statement of claim. (d) Order the respondent/plaintiff pay the applicant/defendant's costs of the proceeding. (4) Order the respondent pay the applicant/appellant's costs of the appeal. Catchwords: TORTS – trespass to the person – false imprisonment – defences – where respondent passenger on applicant's cruise ship – where respondent detained in guest cabin for five days pending return of ship to port where alleged sexual assault would be investigated by local police – whether captain justified in detaining respondent "for the preservation of order and discipline or for the safety of the vessel or the persons or property on board" – whether justification defence in Hook v Cunard Steamship Co [1953] 1 WLR 682; [1953] 1 Lloyd's Rep 413 part of Australian common law – whether that defence requires that captain subjectively believe detention is necessary PRIVATE INTERNATIONAL LAW – applicable law – choice of law rules – torts – where alleged tort committed on ship on high seas – where applicable law the law of ship's flag – where law of flag neither pleaded nor sought to be proved – where primary judge applied substantive law of New South Wales SHIPPING AND NAVIGATION – false imprisonment – alleged sexual assault by passenger on cruise ship on high seas – confinement of passenger by order of captain – captain's power to detain – whether confinement necessary Legislation Cited: Crimes Act 2000 (ACT), Pts 3, 10 Crimes at Sea Act 2000 (Cth), ss 4, 6(2)(a) Criminal Code 2002 (ACT) District Court Act 1973 (NSW), s 127(2) Jervis Bay Territory Acceptance Act 1915 (Cth), s 4A Merchant Shipping Act 1894, 57 Vict, c 60, s 223(1) Merchant Shipping Act 1970 (UK) c 36, s 79 Merchant Shipping Act 1995 (UK) c 21, s 105 Navigation Act 2012 (Cth), ss 9, 111, 121, 123 Cases Cited: Aldworth v Stewart (1866) 4 F&F 957 [176 ER 865] Anderdon v Burrows (1830) 4 Car & P 210 [172 ER 674] Blunden v Commonwealth (2003) 218 CLR 330; [2003] HCA 73 CMA CGM SA v The Ship Chou Shan (2014) 224 FCR 384; [2014] FCAFC 90 Damberg v Damberg (2001) 52 NSWLR 492; [2001] NSWCA 87 Hook v Cunard Steamship Co [1953] 1 WLR 682; [1953] 1 Lloyd's Rep 413 Housman v Camuglia (2021) 104 NSWLR 615; [2021] NSWCA 106 In Re Hawke (1923) 40 WN (NSW) 58 Jones v Dunkel (1959) 101 CLR 298; [1959] HCA 8 King v Franklin (1858) 1 F&F 360 [175 ER 764] Lipohar v The Queen (1999) 200 CLR 485; [1999] HCA 65 Lee v Lee (2019) 266 CLR 129; [2019] HCA 28 Marshall v Watson (1972) 124 CLR 640; [1972] HCA 27 Neilson v Overseas Projects Corporation of Victoria Ltd (2005) 223 CLR 331; [2005] HCA 54 Prouten v Chapman [2021] NSWCA 207 Scott v Wakem (1862) 3 F&F 328 [176 ER 147] Skelton v Collins (1966) 115 CLR 94; [1966] HCA 14 Tisand Pty Ltd v Owners of the Ship MV Cape Moreton (Ex Freya) (2005) 143 FCR 43; [2005] FCAFC 68 The "Lima" (1837) 3 Hagg 346 [166 ER 434] Union Shipping New Zealand Ltd v Morgan (2002) 54 NSWLR 690; [2002] NSWCA 124 Watson v Marshall and Cade (1971) 124 CLR 621; [1971] HCA 33 Texts Cited: Halsbury's Laws of England (2nd ed), vol 33 (1939) Halsbury's Laws of England (3rd ed), vol 35 (1961) Halsbury's Laws of England (5th ed), vol 93 (2017) MA Jones, AM Dugdale and M Simpson (eds), Clerk & Lindsell on Torts (23rd ed, 2020, Sweet & Maxwell) M Thomas and D Steel, Temperley's Merchant Shipping Acts (7th ed, 1976, Stevens & Sons) N Phillips and N Craig, Merchant Shipping Act 1995: An Annotated Guide (2nd ed, 2020, Taylor & Francis) Category: Principal judgment Parties: Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd (Applicant) Daniel Rawlings (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: E G H Cox SC with M Harker (Applicant) D Stanton (Respondent) Solicitors: HFW Australia (Applicant) Walker Law Group (Respondent) File Number(s): 2021/12694 Publication restriction: Pursuant to s 7 of the Court Suppression and Non-publication Orders Act 2010 (NSW), there is a non-publication order on the ground set out in s 8(1)(c) prohibiting for a period of 20 years the publication anywhere in the Commonwealth of Australia of the name of the victim of the alleged assault in the proceedings below (2019/71056) or anything that might identify her in connection with those proceedings. The pseudonym "A" is used. Decision under appeal Court or tribunal: District Court of New South Wales Jurisdiction: Civil Citation: [2020] NSWDC 822; [2021] NSWDC 39 Date of Decision: 22 December 2020 Before: Hatzistergos DCJ File Number(s): 2019/71056