North Sydney Leagues Club Ltd v Berecry & 2 Ors [2002] NSWCA 154

Reported Decision : (2002) Aust Torts Reports 81-657

New South Wales Court of Appeal

CITATION : North Sydney Leagues Club Ltd v Berecry & 2 Ors [2002] NSWCA 154 FILE NUMBER(S) : CA 40331/01 HEARING DATE(S) : 6 May 2002 JUDGMENT DATE : 27 May 2002

North Sydney Leagues Club Limited (Appellant/First Cross Respondent) PARTIES : David Kenneth Berecry (First Respondent/Second Cross Respondent) Venue Security (NSW) Pty Limited (In Liquidation) (Second Respondent) Craig Noel Lambeth (Third Respondent/First Cross Appellant) JUDGMENT OF : Meagher JA at 1; Stein JA at 2; Pearlman AJA at 3

LOWER COURT JURISDICTION : District Court LOWER COURT DC 4457/00 FILE NUMBER(S) : LOWER COURT McGuire DCJ JUDICIAL OFFICER :

C G Gee QC with P S Jones (Appellant/First Cross Respondent) COUNSEL : B J Gross QC with D R Conti (First Respondent/Second Cross Respondent) No appearance for the Second Respondent R S Sheldon (Third Respondent/First Cross Appellant) PricewaterhouseCoopers Legal (Appellant/First Cross Respondent) SOLICITORS : McClellands (First Respondent/Second Cross Respondent) No appearance for the Second Respondent Colin Biggers & Paisley (Third Respondent/First Cross Appellant) CATCHWORDS : TORT - negligence - patron injured in club - injury caused by security officer - whether delegation of duty of care - whether breach of duty of care - foreseeability of injury - whether security officer acting within scope of his authority - CONTRACT - claim for indemnification - whether breach of contract - whether terms of contract clear - EVIDENCE - credibility findings - conflicting statements - D Abalos v Australian Postal Commission (1990) 171 CLR 167 CASES CITED: Deatons Pty Ltd v Flew (1949) 79 CLR 370 Newcastle Entertainment Security Pty Ltd v Simpson & Ors (1999) Aust Tort Reports 81-528 DECISION : Appeal and cross-appeal dismissed with costs