Bathurst City Council v Cheesman [2004] NSWCA 308

New South Wales Court of Appeal

CITATION : Bathurst City Council v Cheesman [2004] NSWCA 308 HEARING DATE(S) : 06/09/04 JUDGMENT DATE : 6 September 2004

JUDGMENT OF : Ipp JA at 1; McColl JA at 28; Sperling J at 29 DECISION : (1) Appeal upheld with costs (2) Orders of the trial judge set aside (3) Order Judgment for the appellant and order the respondent to pay the costs of the trial (4) Respondent to have a certificate under the Suitors' Fund Act 1951 if otherwise entitled.

CATCHWORDS : TORT - Duty of care - Where plaintiff tripped on slightly raised paver - Where paver was in a footpath in a private area owned by the Council - Whether trippng hazard - Whether it was unreasonable of the Council to have left the footpath as it was - Obligation of pedestrians to take care for their own safety - Whether any relevant difference between this and an ordinary public footpath. D Brodie v Singleton Shire Council (2001) 206 CLR 512 Burwood Council v Byrnes [2002] NSWCA 343 Campbelltown City Council v Frew [2003] NSWCA 154 David Jones Limited v Bates [2001] NSWCA 233 CASES CITED : Francis v Lewis [2003] NSWCA 152 Littler v Liverpool Corporation [1968] 2 All ER 343 Lombardi v Holroyd City Council [2002] NSWCA 252 Phillis v Daley (1988) 15 NSWLR 65 Rasic v Cruz (2000) NSWCA 66 Ryde City Council v Saleh [2004] NSWCA 219 PARTIES : Bathurst City Council (Appellant) Noelene Janice Cheesman (Respondent) FILE NUMBER(S) : CA 41132/03 COUNSEL : C E Adamson SC/G Hickey (Appellant) H Kelly SC/T McKenzie (Respondent) SOLICITORS : Phillips Fox (Appellant) Kenny Spring (Respondent)