Nye v State of New South Wales & ors [2003] NSWSC 1212

Reported Decision : (2004) Aust Torts Reports 81-725

New South Wales Supreme Court

CITATION : Nye v State of New South Wales & ors [2003] NSWSC 1212 HEARING DATE(S) : 26/08/2002 - 05/09/2002, 09/09/2002 - 20/09/2002, 24/09/2002 - 27/09/2002, 21/10/2002, 23/10/2002, 31/10/2002, 01/11/2002, 25/11/2002 - 29/11/2002, 22/04/2003 - 24/04/03, 29/04/2003 - 02/05/03, 05/05/2003 - 09/05/2003,12/05/2003 - 15/05/2003, 19/05/2003 - 20/05/2003, 16/06/2003 - 19/06/2003, 23/06/2003 - 27/06/2003, 30/06/2003 - 04/07/2003, 07/07/2003 - 11/07/2003, 15/08/2003, 18/08/2003 - 20/08/2003, 23/08/2003. JUDGMENT DATE : 16 December 2003

JUDGMENT OF : O'Keefe J DECISION : Verdicts as follows; (i) $947,500 against the defendants Gordon, the DPP and the State of New South Wales in respect of the plaintiff's claim based on malicious prosecution; (ii) $387,500 against the defendants Gordon, Barnett and the State of New South Wales in respect of the plaintiff's claim based on wrongful arrest and false imprisonment; (iii) in favour of the defendants Popplewell and Hawley; There will be judgments accordingly. Defendants Gordon, Barnett, the DPP and the State of New South Wales to pay the plaintiff's costs. No order as to the costs of the defendants Popplewell and Hawley. The plaintiff is to be at liberty to enter judgment forthwith.

CATCHWORDS : Tort - malicious prosecution - improper motive - mode of proof - wrongful arrest and false imprisonment - onus of proof - justification - meaning of s 352(2) of the Crimes Act 1900 - police - Director of Public Prosecutions - DPP - inference - speculation - damages - aggravated damages - exemplary damages Crimes Act 1900 (NSW) s 352(2) Evidence Act 1995 s 165 LEGISLATION CITED : Justices Act 1902 s 41(6) Police Act 1892 - 1953 (WA) Supreme Court Act 1970 s 94 Abrath v North Eastern Railway Co (1883) 11 QBD 440 Amalgamated Television Services Pty Ltd v Marsden (No. 2) [2003] NSWCA 186, 9 July 2003, unreported Bradshaw v McEwans Pty Ltd ((1951) unreported) Briginshaw v Briginshaw (1938) 60 CLR 336 Broome v Cassell & Co (1972) AC 1027 Brown v Hawkes (1891) 2 QB 718 Carr v Baker (1936) 36 SR (NSW) 301 Caswell v Powell Duffryn Associated Colleries Ltd [1940] AC 152 Commonwealth Life Assurance Society Ltd v Brain (1934-1935) 53 CLR 343 Cruise v Burke (1919) 2IR 182 Davis v Gell (1924) 35 CLR 275 Diamond v Minter (1941) 1 KB 656 Elcham v Commissioner of Police (2001) 53 NSWLR 7 Fernandez v Tubemakers of Australia Ltd [1975] 2 NSWLR 190 George v Rocket (1990) 170 CLR 105 Gray v Motor Accident Commission (1998) 196 CLR 1 Harris v Digital Pulse Pty Limited (2003) 56 NSWLR 298 Hussien v Chong Fook Kam [1970] AC 942 Jones v Dunkel (1959) 101 CLR 298 Jones v Great Western Railway Co (1930) 144 LT 194 CASES CITED : Lamb v Cotongo (1987) 164 CLR 1 Luxton v Vines (1952) 85 CLR 352 Merest v Harvey (1814) 5 Taunt 442 (128 ER 761) Mitchell v John Heine and Son Ltd (1938) 38 SR (NSW) 466 Neat Holdings Pty Ltd v Karajan Holdings Pty Ltd (1992) 67 ALJR 170 Pestonji M. Mody v Queen Insurance Co (1900) ILR 25 Bomb. 332 R v Burdett (1820) 106 ER 873 Regina v Thurgar (1990) 51 ACrim R 109 Rejfek v McElroy (1965) 112 CLR 517 Rooks v Barnard (1964) AC 1129 Seltsam Pty Ltd v McGuinness (2000) 49 NSWLR 262 Shepherd v The Queen (1990) 170 CLR 573 Smith v NSW Bar Association (1992) 176 CLR 256 Trobridge v Hardy (1955) 94 CLR 147 Uren v John Fairfax Pty Ltd (1966) 117 CLR 118 Walter v Alltools (1944) 61 TLR 39 Warwick v Foulkes (1844) 12 M & W 506 Whitfeld v De Laurent & Co Ltd (1920) 29 CLR 71 Wilkes v Wood 98 ER 489 XL Petroleum (NSW) Pty Ltd v Caltex Oil (Australia) Pty Ltd (1985) 155 CLR 448 Ziems v Prothonotary (1957) 97 CLR 279 Plaintiff - Garry Raymond Nye First Defendant - State of New South Wales Second Defendant - Wayne Popplewell PARTIES : Third Defendant - Wayne Desmond Gordon Fourth Defendant - Peter James Hawley Fifth Defendant - David John Barnett Sixth Defendant - Director of Public Prosecutions FILE NUMBER(S) : SC 21458/96 COUNSEL : Plaintiff: Mr B Donovan QC with Mr D Baran and Mr C Thompson Defendant: Mr I Temby QC with Mr P Lakatos SOLICITORS : Plaintiff: Miss E Faccin and Ms D Farah - Carol & O'Dea Solicitors (Sydney) Defendant: Mr IV Knight - Crown Solicitor's Office (Sydney)