Reeves v State of New South Wales (No 2) [2023] NSWDC 232

District Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Reeves v State of New South Wales (No 2) [2023] NSWDC 232 Hearing dates: On the papers Date of orders: 29 June 2023 Decision date: 29 June 2023 Jurisdiction: Civil Before: Abadee DCJ Decision: See paragraphs 59 - 60 Catchwords: DAMAGES – torts - partially successful claim of false imprisonment – investigating officers' continued detention of plaintiff, who was lawfully in custody at a police station, an in interviewing room after he expressed refusal to participate in interview - assessment of damages – claims for general, aggravated and exemplary damages – whether plaintiff entitled to more than nominal damages – consideration of counterfactual as an aid to determining whether loss would have occurred lawfully – whether, if compensatory damages are available, Court can take into account vindication of a plaintiff's right not to be wrongfully imprisoned Legislation Cited: Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW) s 100 Cases Cited: Beckett v State of New South Wales [2015] NSWSC 1017 Gray v Motor Accident Commission (1998) 196 CLR 1 KSMC Holdings Pty Ltd t/as Hubba Bubba Childcare on Haig v Bowden [2020] NSWCA 28 Lamb v Contogno (1987) 164 CLR 1 Lee v NSW Crime Commission (2013) 251 CLR 196 Lewis v Australian Capital Territory (2020) 271 CLR 192 Pham v State of NSW [2019] NSWDC 73 Reeves v State of New South Wales [2023] NSWDC 196 Ruddock v Taylor [2003] NSWCA 262 Ruddock v Taylor (2005) 222 CLR 612 State of NSW v Cuthbertson [2018] NSWCA 320 State of NSW v Ibbett (2005) 65 NSWLR 168 State of NSW v Smith [2017] NSWCA 194 Takiota v AG [2009] All ER (D) 47 (Sep); [2009] UKPC 11 TD v NSW [2013] NSWCA 32 Uren v John Fairfax & Sons Ltd (1966) 117 CLR 118 V'landys v Australian Broadcasting Commission [2023] FCAFC 80 V'landys v Australian Broadcasting Corporation (No.3) [2021] FCA 500 Walter v Alltools (1944) 61 TLR 39 Watson v Marshall (1971) 124 CLR 621 Texts Cited: C Sappideen & P Vines, Fleming's The Law of Torts (10th ed), Thomson Reuters, 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