Reeves v State of New South Wales [2023] NSWDC 196

District Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Reeves v State of New South Wales [2023] NSWDC 196 Hearing dates: 22, 23, 24 May 2023 Date of orders: 13 June 2023 Decision date: 13 June 2023 Jurisdiction: Civil Before: Abadee DCJ Decision: See paragraphs 253 - 256 Catchwords: TORTS – intentional torts – wrongful arrest– plaintiff charged with stalking offence against a complainant – Crimes (Domestic and Personal Violence) Act 2007 (NSW), s 13(1) – whether arrest lawful – whether arresting officer honestly and reasonably suspected offence committed – whether officer satisfied arrest was reasonably necessary - Law Enforcement (Powers and Responsibilities) Act 2002 (NSW), s 99(1) TORTS – false imprisonment - whether period of detainee in custody was unreasonable - whether investigator had legal right to ask questions of a suspect when suspect indicated wish not to participate in an interview – Law Enforcement (Powers and Responsibilities) Act 2002 (NSW) – ss 113, 115, 116 TORTS – malicious prosecution – whether suggested prosecutors acted with malice – whether reasonable or probable cause STATUTORY INTERPRETATION – liability of public authorities - Civil Liability Act 2002 (NSW), s 43A – whether provision sets a standard for conduct – whether operation is predicated upon antecedent lawful exercise of power EVIDENCE –- whether Weissensteiner principle could be invoked by the State to justify police officer's arrest - Jones v Dunkel inference should be drawn from defendant's unexplained failure to call custody manager in the police station and an alleged 'prosecutor' WORDS AND PHRASES – meaning of 'injury' and 'intent to cause injury' – Civil Liability Act 2002 (NSW), s 3B(1)(a) – claim of intentional tort of false imprisonment – whether mere deprivation of liberty suffices to constitute 'injury' Legislation Cited: Civil Liability Act 2002 (NSW) ss 3B, 43A Crimes (Domestic and Personal Violence) Act 2007 (NSW) ss 8, 13 Criminal Procedure Act 1986 (NSW) s 214 Evidence Act 1995 (NSW) ss 138, 140 Law Enforcement Powers and Responsibilities Act 2002 (NSW) ss 32, 99, 109, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 231 Cases Cited: A v New South Wales (2007) 230 CLR 500 AD v State of New South Wales [2023] NSWCA 115 ASIC v Hellicar (2012) 247 CLR 345 Azar v DPP [2014] NSWSC 132 Beckett v State of New South Wales [2015] NSWSC 1017 Cowell v Corrective Services Commission of New South Wales (1988) 13 NSWLR 714 Davies v The Queen [2014] VSCA 284 Dickson v Northern Lakes Rugby League Sport & Recreation Club Inc (2020) 103 NSWLR 658 Gales Holdings Pty Ltd v Tweed Shire Council (2013) 85 NSWLR 514 Houda v State of New South Wales (2005) Aust Torts Rep 81-816; [2005] NSWSC 1053 Hyder v Commonwealth of Australia [2012] NSWCA 336 Jankovic v DPP [2020] NSWCA 31 Jones v Dunkel (1959) 101 CLR 298 Ling v Pang [2023] NSWCA 112 Madden v The State of New South Wales [2022] NSWDC 647 Martin v R [2017] NSWDC 82 McIlraith v R [2017] NSWCCA 13 Moore v Scenic Tours Pty Ltd (2020) 268 CLR 326 New South Wales v Ibbett (2005) 65 NSWLR 168 New South Wales v Williamson (2012) 248 CLR 417 Puntoriero v Water Administration Ministerial Corp (1999) 199 CLR 575 Queensland Bulk Water Supply Authority (t/as Seqwater) v Rodriguez & Sons Pty Ltd (2021) 393 ALR 162; [2021] NSWCA 206 R v Clarke (1997) A Crim R 414 R v Plevac (1995) 84 A Crim R 570 R v Quach [2002] NSWCCA 519 R v Rondo [2001] NSWCCA 540 R v Taleb [2019] NSWSC 241 Ruddock v Taylor (2005) 222 CLR 612 South Western Sydney Local Health District v Gould (2018) 97 NSWLR 513 Southern Properties (WA) Pty Ltd v Executive Director, Dept of Conservation and Land Management (2012) 42 WAR 287 Spedding v State of New South Wales [2022] NSWSC 1627 State of New South Wales v Randall [2017] NSWCA 88 State of New South Wales v Robinson (2016) 93 NSWLR 280 The Queen v Baden-Clay (2016) 258 CLR 308 Trobridge v Hardy (1955) 94 CLR 147 Weber v Greater Hume Shire Council (2019) 100 NSWLR 1 Texts Cited: C Sappideen & P Vines, Fleming's The Law of Torts (10th ed, Lawbook Co) G Mullins, S Grant & R Douglas, Civil Liability Australia + Cases (electronic subscription, LexisNexis) Criminal Law Bench Book D Villa, Annotated Civil Liability Act 2002 (NSW) (3rd ed, 2018, Thomson Reuters NSW Legislative Council, Second Reading Speech Law Enforcement (Powers and Responsibilities) Amendment (Arrest Without Warrant) Bill 2013, 13 November 2013 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Benjamin Reeves (plaintiff) State of New South Wales (defendant) Representation: Counsel: Mr A Canceri with Mr S Boland for the plaintiff Mr J Sexton SC with Mr J Lee for the defendant