ROBB EVANS of ROBB EVANS & ASSOCIATES v EUROPEAN BANK LIMITED [2004] NSWCA 82

Reported Decision : 61 NSWLR 75

New South Wales Court of Appeal

CITATION : ROBB EVANS of ROBB EVANS & ASSOCIATES v EUROPEAN BANK LIMITED [2004] NSWCA 82 revised - 29/03/2005 HEARING DATE(S) : 8/12/03, 9/12/03, 10/12/03 JUDGMENT DATE : 25 March 2004

JUDGMENT OF : Spigelman CJ at 1; Handley JA at 184; Santow JA at 185 DECISION : Appeal dismissed with costs.

CATCHWORDS : PRIVATE INTERNATIONAL LAW - exclusionary rule - whether claim directly or indirectly for enforcement of laws securing governmental interest of foreign state - characterisation of consumer protection statutes - application of rule where proceedings brought for compensatory purpose of reimbursing defrauded consumers - TRUSTS - presumed or resulting trust over stolen funds - equivalent of express trust for purposes of duty to get in trust estate - equitable tracing - where legal owner has good claim at law - when election to trace in equity permitted - BANKING AND FINANCE - fraud - knowing receipt - special treatment of banks - bank as mere depository - whether conduct inconsistent with trust of which bank had constructive knowledge. Federal Trade Commission Act (United States) ss 1, 5, 13 International Companies Act No 32 of 1992 (Vanuatu) s 125 LEGISLATION CITED : Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (Vanuatu) ss 11, 12, 15, 20, 28, 29, 90 Securities Exchange Act 1934 (United States) Serious Offences (Confiscation of Proceeds) Act No 50 of 1989 (Vanuatu) ss 2, 3, 4, 20 Agip (Africa) Limited v Jackson [1990] Ch 265 Agip (Africa) Limited v Jackson [1991] Ch 547 Allen v Snyder [1977] 2 NSWLR 685 Attorney General of New Zealand v Ortiz [1984] AC 1 Attorney-General (UK) v Heinemann Publishers Australia Pty Ltd (1988) 165 CLR 30 Australian Postal Corporation v Lutak (1991) 21 NSWLR 584 Bank of Credit and Commerce International (Overseas) Limited v Akindele [2001] Ch 437 Barnes v Addy (1874) LR 9 Ch App 244 Bathurst City Council v PWC Properties Pty Ltd (1998) 195 CLR 566 Belmont Finance Co v Williams Furniture Ltd [1980] 1 All ER 393 Black v S Freedman & Co (1910) 12 CLR 105 Boscawen v Bajwa [1996] 1 WLR 328 Cigna Life Insurance New Zealand Limited v Westpac Securities Limited [1996] 1 NZLR 80 Coleman v Bucks and Oxon Union Bank [1897] 2 Ch 243 Commissioner of Stamp Duties (Qld) v Livingston [1965] AC 694 Creak v James Moore & Sons Pty Ltd (1912) 15 CLR 426 Damberg v Damberg (2001) 52 NSWLR 492 El Ajou v Dollar Land Holdings plc [1993] 3 All ER 717 El Ajou v Dollar Land Holdings plc [1994] 2 All ER 685 Foley v Hill (1848) 2 HL Cas 28; 9 ER 1002 Foskett v McKeown [2001] 1 AC 102 Government of India v Taylor [1955] AC 491 Giumelli v Giumelli (1999) 196 CLR 101 Gray v Johnston (1868) LR 3 HL 1 CASES CITED : Huntington v Attrill [1893] AC 150 In Re Norway's Application (No 1 and 2) [1990] 1 AC 723 International Sales and Agencies Limited v Marcus [1982] 3 All ER 551 Koorootang Nominees Pty Ltd v ANZ Banking Group Limited [1998] 3 VR 16 Lee v Sankey (1873) LR 15 Eq 204 Lipkin Gorman v Karpnale Limited [1987] 1 WLR 987 Loucks v Standard Oil Co of New York (1918) 120 NE 198 Moore v Mitchell (1929) 30 F(2d) 600 Peter Buchanan Limited v McVey (1954) Ir R 89; [1955] AC 516 Polly Peck International plc v Nadir [1992] 4 All ER 769 Port of Brisbane Corporation v ANZ Securities Limited (No 2) [2003] 2 Qd R 661 Rasmanis v Jurewitsch (1969) 70 SR (NSW) 407 Re Diplock [1948] Ch 465 Rich v Australian Securities and Investments Commission [2003] NSWCA 342 Roxborough v Rothmans of Pall Mall Australia Limited (1999) 95 FCR 185 Roxborough v Rothmans of Pall Mall Australia Limited (2001) 208 CLR 516 Schemmer v Property Resources Limited [1975] Ch 273 Scott v Scott (1963) 109 CLR 649 Spedding v Spedding (1913) 30 WN (NSW) 81 Stephens Travel Service International Pty Ltd v Qantas Airways Limited (1988) 13 NSWLR 331 Thomson v Clydesdale Bank Limited [1893] AC 282 United States of America v Inkley [1989] QB 255 Westdeutsche Landesbank Girozentrale v Islington London Borough Council [1996] AC 669 Westpac Banking Corporation v Savin [1985] 2 NZLR 41 Young v Murphy [1996] 1 VR 279 PARTIES : Robb Evans of Robb Evans & Associates European Bank Limited FILE NUMBER(S) : CA 40359/03 COUNSEL : A Martin SC / C Hodgekiss SC / M Hirschern (Appellant) T Bathurst QC / J Halley (Respondent) SOLICITORS : Deacons (Appellant) Baker & McKenzie (Respondent)