Carvana v State of New South Wales [2024] NSWSC 254

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Carvana v State of New South Wales [2024] NSWSC 254 Hearing dates: 20 – 22 February, 10 – 13 July, 8 November 2023 Date of orders: 15 March 2024 Decision date: 15 March 2024 Jurisdiction: Common Law Before: Wright J Decision: (1) Judgment for the defendant. (2) The defendant is to file and serve any written submissions and evidence relating to the costs order to be made in these proceedings on or before 29 March 2024. (3) The plaintiff is to file and serve any written submissions and evidence relating to the costs order to be made in these proceedings on or before 12 April 2024. (4) The question of costs is to be dealt with on the papers, unless a party in its written submissions notifies the Court and the other party that it seeks to have an oral hearing on costs. (5) If an oral hearing on costs is sought, the parties have liberty to contact Wright J's Associate to obtain a suitable date for such a hearing. Catchwords: TORTS – false imprisonment – arrest and detention prior to bail being granted – whether arrest unlawful – onus on defendant to establish that arrest was lawful – requirements for lawful arrest under Law Enforcement (Powers and Responsibilities) Act 2002 (NSW) – whether requirements met TORTS – malicious prosecution – elements – whether proceedings terminated in favour of the plaintiff if finding of guilt but no conviction or withdrawal of charges – whether prosecutor acted with malice – whether prosecution commenced or maintained without reasonable and probable cause TORTS – trespass to goods – whether seizure of mobile phone containing video of alleged offence voluntarily handed to police was lawful under s 21(1)(b) of the Law Enforcement (Powers and Responsibilities) Act 2002 (NSW) – whether seizure of mobile phone was lawful under common law principles in Ghani v Jones [1970] 1 QB 693 TORTS – general principles – damages – availability of damages for consequential loss and damage from harm suffered as a result of intentional torts – whether harm caused by the tort – whether harm intended by tortfeasor – whether harm the natural and probable consequence of the tort Legislation Cited: Civil Liability Act 2002 (NSW), ss 3B(1)(a), 43A Controlled Substances Act 1994 (SA) Corporations Act 2001 (Cth), s 601AD Crimes Act 1900 (NSW), ss 58, 61, 195(1)(a) Crimes Act 1914 (Cth), s 3W Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999 (NSW), s 10(1)(a) Crimes (Domestic and Personal Violence) Act 2007 (NSW), s 13(1) Crown Proceeding Act 1988 (NSW), s 5 Evidence Act 1995 (NSW), s 140 Law Enforcement (Powers and Responsibilities) Act 2002 (NSW), ss 4(1), 4(1)(a), 20, 20(a), 21, 21(1), 21(1)(b), 21(2)(b), 22, 29, 30, 32, 32(2), 32(3), 81 – 87, 99, 99(1)(a), 99(1)(b)(i), 99(3), 201(1)(a), 202(1), 202(2) Law Reform (Vicarious Liability) Act 1983 (NSW), ss 4, 9B(2) Summary Offences Act 1953 (SA), s 68 Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW), rr 15.4, 15.7, 15.8 Cases Cited: A v New South Wales (2007) 230 CLR 500; [2007] HCA 10 Bailey v Director-General, Department of Natural Resources NSW [2015] NSWCA 318 Beckett v New South Wales (2013) 248 CLR 432; [2013] HCA 17 Briginshaw v Briginshaw (1938) 60 CLR 336; [1938] HCA 34 Bunnings Group Ltd v CHEP Australia Ltd (2011) 82 NSWLR 420; [2011] NSWCA 342 Cameron v James [1945] VLR 113 Challenge Plastics Pty Ltd v Collector of Customs for the State of Victoria (1993) 42 FCR 397; [1993] FCA 340 Chapel Road v Australian Securities and Investments Commission [2007] NSWSC 975 Coyle v State of New South Wales [2006] NSWCA 95 Director of Public Prosecutions v Tamcelik [2012] NSWSC 1008; 224 A Crim R 350 G H Photography Pty Ltd v McGarrigle [1974] 2 NSWLR 635 Ghani v Jones [1970] 1 QB 693 Goldie v Commonwealth of Australia (No 2) [2004] FCA 156; (2004) 81 ALD 422 Greer v Commissioner of NSW Police [2002] NSWSC 356; 128 A Crim R 586 Hrdavec v State of New South Wales [2022] NSWCA 52 Hyder v Commonwealth of Australia [2012] NSWCA 336; 217 A Crim R 571 Lamb v Cotogno (1987) 164 CLR 1 Le v Plummer [2023] WASCA 178 Levine v O'Keefe [1930] VLR 70 Lewis v Australian Capital Territory (2020) 271 CLR 192; [2020] HCA 26 McElroy v The Queen (2018) 55 VR 450 Middlin-Hannah v The Queen [2020] SASCFC 112 Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs v Eshetu [(1999) 197 CLR 611; [1999] HCA 21 Murphy v The State of New South Wales [2023] NSWSC 407 New South Wales v Ibbett (2006) 229 CLR 638; [2006] HCA 57 New South Wales v Robinson (2019) 266 CLR 619; [2019] HCA 46 Palmer Bruyn & Parker Pty Ltd v Parsons (2001) 208 CLR 388; [2001] HCA 69 Pargiter v Alexander (1995) 5 Tas R 158; [1995] TASSC 62; (1995) Aust Torts Reports 81-349 PPK Willoughby Pty Ltd v Baird [2021] NSWCA 312 R v Elomar and Ors (No 11) [2009] NSWSC 385 R v Lushington, ex parte Otto [1894] 1 QB 420 R v Rondo [2001] NSWCCA 540; (2001) 126 A Crim R 562 Rock v Henderson [2021] NSWCA 155 Siddique v Martin (2016) 51 VR 564 Smethurst v Commissioner of the Australian Federal Police (2020) 272 CLR 177; [2020] HCA 14; 94 ALJR 502; 376 ALR 575; 280 A Crim R 356 South Western Sydney Local Health District v Gould (2018) 97 NSWLR 513; [2018] NSWCA 69 State of New South Wales v Abed [2014] NSWCA 419; 246 A Crim R 549 State of New South Wales v Cuthbertson (2018) 99 NSWLR 120; [2018] NSWCA 320 State of New South Wales v Randall [2017] NSWCA 88 State of New South Wales v Smith (2017) 95 NSWLR 662; [2017] NSWCA 194 State of New South Wales v Spedding [2023] NSWCA 180 TAL Life Ltd v Shuetrim (2016) 91 NSWLR 439; [2016] NSWCA 68 TCN Channel Nine Pty Ltd v Anning (2002) 54 NSWLR 333; [2002] NSWCA 82 Tye v Commissioner of Police (1995) 84 A Crim R 147 Williams v The Pell River Land and Mineral Company Limited (1886) 55 LT 689 Zaravinos v State of New South Wales (2004) 62 NSWLR 58; [2004] NSWCA 320 Texts Cited: The Laws of Australia, vol 33, Torts, at par 33.8.920. Carolyn Sappideen, Prue Vines (eds.), Fleming's The Law of Torts (11th ed, 2024, Thompson Reuters) at par 4.40 Sir John William Salmond, The Law of Torts (6th ed, 1924, London: Sweet & Maxwell) at 595 Category: Principal judgment Parties: David Romano Carvana (Plaintiff) State of New South Wales (Defendant) Representation: Plaintiff in person