In the matter of DCA Enterprises Pty Ltd [2023] NSWSC 11

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: In the matter of DCA Enterprises Pty Ltd [2023] NSWSC 11 Hearing dates: 12 October 2022; 14 October 2022; 18-21 October 2022, 29 November 2022, 6-9, 14-15 December 2022 Date of orders: 23 January 2023 Decision date: 23 January 2023 Jurisdiction: Equity - Corporations List Before: Black J Decision: Parties to bring in short minutes of order to give effect to judgment within 14 days. Catchwords: CORPORATIONS – application for rectification of records maintained by ASIC – where registers maintained by ASIC evidences change to shareholders and officeholders – where no corporate step undertaken to effect such changes – whether court should order rectification of registers maintained by ASIC. DECEIT — Where representations made in connection with acquisition of interest in company or sporting rights – Where unclear whether interest was to be acquired by issue of shares by company or sale of shares by shareholders – Where documents were fabricated and purported to be signed by non-existent persons - whether order for exemplary damages should be made MISLEADING OR DECEPTIVE CONDUCT — Where representations made in connection with acquisition of interest in company or sporting rights – Where unclear whether interest was to be acquired by issue of shares by company or sale of shares by shareholders – Whether the representations were misleading and deceptive and causative of loss suffered by the Defendants/Cross-Claimants – whether knowing involvement established on the part of several Cross-Defendants. FALSE IMPRISONMENT – Whether circumstances of meeting gave rise to claim in false imprisonment. Legislation Cited: - Australian Consumer Law, s 18 - Corporations Act 2001 (Cth), ss 201G, 205B, 237, 1071B, 1308, 1322, 1324 - Evidence Act 1995 (NSW), s 140 Cases Cited: - Alesco Corporation Ltd v Te Maari [2015] NSWSC 469 - Armagas Ltd v Mundogas SA [1985] 1 Ll R 1 - Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) v Activesuper Pty Ltd (in liq) (2015) 105 ACSR 116; [2015] FCA 342 - Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) v Australian Investors Forum Pty Ltd (No 2) (2005) 53 ACSR 305; 23 ACLC 929; [2005] NSWSC 267 - Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) v PFS Business Development Group Pty Ltd (2006) 57 ACSR 553; [2006] VSC 192 - Balagiannis v Balagiannis [2022] NSWCA 18 - Black v S Freedman & Co (1910) 12 CLR 105; [1910] HCA 58 - Break Fast Investments Pty Ltd v Giannopoulos [2011] NSWSC 1508 - Briginshaw v Briginshaw (1938) 60 CLR 336; [1938] HCA 34 - Changizi v Rizaie [2021] NSWSC 613 - Chidiac v Bhatt [2014] NSWSC 1253 - Dale v Karp [2021] NSWSC 969 - El Ajou v Dollar Land Holdings Plc [1993] 3 All ER 717 - ET-China.com International Holdings Ltd v Cheung (2021) 388 ALR 128; [2021] NSWCA 24 - Fistar v Riverwood Legion and Community Club Ltd (2016) 91 NSWLR 732; [2016] NSWCA 81 - Ford Motor Company of Australia Ltd v Arrowcrest Group Pty Ltd (2003) 134 FCR 522; [2003] FCAFC 313 - Galati v Deans [2021] NSWSC 1094 - Gambotto v WCP Ltd (1995) 182 CLR 432; [1995] HCA 12 - Harris v Digital Pulse Pty Ltd (2003) 56 NSWLR 298 - Hill v James [2004] NSWSC 55 - Hoy Mobile Pty Ltd v Allphones Retail Pty Ltd (No 2) [2008] FCA 810 - James v Hill [2004] NSWCA 301 - Janssen-Cilag Pty Ltd v Pfizer Pty Ltd (1992) 37 FCR 526; (1992) 109 ALR 638 - John Holland Pty Ltd v Kellogg Brown & Root Pty Ltd [2015] NSWSC 451 - Lewis v Australian Capital Territory (2020) 271 CLR 192; [2020] HCA 26 - Magill v Magill (2006) 226 CLR 551; [2006] HCA 51 - Medical Benefits Fund of Australia Ltd v Cassidy (2003) 135 FCR 1; 205 ALR 402; [2003] FCAFC 289 - Menzies v Perkins [2000] NSWSC 40 - Musca v Astie Corporation Pty Ltd (1988) 80 ALR 251 - Neat Holdings Pty Ltd v Karajan Holdings Pty Ltd (1992) 110 ALR 449 - No 1 Victoria Dragons Pty Ltd v AEN Developments Pty Ltd [2022] NSWSC 1345 - Re Atlas Advisors Australia Pty Ltd [2022] NSWSC 705 - Re Centura Global Holdings Pty Ltd (2016) 111 ACSR 185; [2016] NSWSC 62 - Re Colorado Products Pty Ltd (in prov liq) (2014) 101 ACSR 233; [2014] NSWSC 789 - Re DJG Equities Pty Ltd [2014] NSWSC 194 - Re McDonough Management Pty Ltd (2019) 139 ACSR 447 - Re Mediation & Online Dispute Resolution Operating Network Pty Ltd [2022] NSWSC 5 - Re Reserve Hotels Pty Ltd [2021] NSWSC 376 - Re Seabay Kitchen Pty Ltd [2019] NSWSC 790 - Rheem Australia Pty Ltd v McInnes [2020] NSWSC 1313 - State of NSW v Ibbett (2006) 229 CLR 638; [2006] HCA 57 - Stav Investments Pty Ltd v Taylor [2022] NSWSC 208 - Stuart v Rabobank Australia Ltd [2021] FCA 1388 - Swiss Re International SE v Simpson (2018) 354 ALR 607 - Sze Tu v Lowe (2014) 89 NSWLR 317 - Uren v John Fairfax & Sons Pty Ltd (1966) 117 CLR 118 - Varma v Varma [2010] NSWSC 786 - Ventouris Enterprises Pty Ltd v Dib Group Pty Ltd [2010] NSWSC 963 - Wambo Coal Pty Ltd v Ariff & Anor (2007) 63 ACSR 429; [2007] NSWSC 589 - Watson v Foxman (1995) 49 NSWLR 315 - Yang v Zhang [2022] FCA 697 - Yorke v Lucas (1985) 158 CLR 66; [1985] HCA 65 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Dylan Charles Azzopardi (First Plaintiff/First Cross-Defendant) Justin Joseph Azzopardi (Second Plaintiff/Second Cross-Defendant) Karla Patricia Pichardo (Third Plaintiff/Third Cross-Defendant) Dominic Gerardo Galati (First Defendant/First Cross-Claimant) Alberto Mariani (Second Defendant) Acell Holdings Pty Ltd (Third Defendant) Kerry Anne Hyland (Fourth Defendant) Australian Securities and Investments Commission (Fifth Defendant) DCA Sydney Enterprises Pty Ltd (Sixth Defendant/Second Cross-Claimant) Care A2 Plus Pty Ltd (Seventh Defendant/Third Cross-Claimant) Care A2 Australia Pty Ltd (Eighth Defendant/Fourth Cross-Claimant) Raymond Nehme (also known as Raymond Younan) (Ninth Defendant) Chloe Azzopardi (Fourth Cross-Defendant) Mary Azzopardi (Fifth Cross-Defendant) Joseph Azzopardi (Sixth Cross-Defendant) Representation: Counsel: A J McQuillen (Plaintiffs/Cross-Defendants) A Butt (Defendants (except ASIC)/Cross-Claimants)