Terry Donald Hill v David Anthony James & Ors [2004] NSWSC 55

New South Wales Supreme Court

CITATION : Terry Donald Hill v David Anthony James & Ors [2004] NSWSC 55 HEARING DATE(S) : 3,4,5,6,10,11,12,13 & 25 November 2003, 5 & 12 February 2004 JUDGMENT DATE : 20 February 2004

JURISDICTION: Equity Division Commercial List JUDGMENT OF : Bergin J DECISION : See paragraphs 287 - 289

CATCHWORDS : [Commercial Contracts]- identification of terms -contract in which defendant, through a corporate vehicle, exchanged contracts for purchase of certain assets (including the wine business) from the liquidator to be owned by the plaintiff, via a shareholding in the corporate vehicle, if the plaintiff able to fund the settlement- obligation on the defendant to provide contract with liquidator to the plaintiff for his approval/whether the plaintiff required to pay purchase price that the defendant paid the liquidator or some other amount [Breach] -falsification of documents provided to the plaintiff for his approval- requiring the plaintiff to pay higher price for purchase than the defendant paid the liquidator for the wine business - [Damages] - whether the plaintiff suffered damage by reason of breaches - whether the plaintiff had the capacity to settle the contract in any event - [Misleading and deceptive conduct] - representation that document provided for approval by the plaintiff contained the true terms of the contract between the liquidator and the defendant - reliance -payment of money based on amounts in false documents - [Agency/Fiduciary] - whether fiduciary obligations imposed by use of the words in the contract that the defendant would purchase the wine business "on behalf of" the plaintiff - [Tort] - deceit - elements- whether exemplary damages available -whether an award of exemplary damages should be made. A.B. & Ors v South West Water Services Ltd [1993] QB 507 Brambles Holdings Ltd v Bathurst City Council (2001) 53 NSWLR 153 Briginshaw v Briginshaw (1938) 60 CLR 336 Broome Cassell & Co. Ltd [1972] AC 1027 Coghlan v Pyoanee Pty Ltd [2003] QdR 636 Gray v Motor Accident Commission (1998) 196 CLR 1 Hospital Products Limited v United States Surgical Corporation & Ors (1984) 156 CLR 41 Jones v Dunkel (1959) 101 CLR 298 Kuddus v Chief Constable of Leicestershire Constabulary [2001] 2 WLR 1789 CASES CITED : Lamb v Cotogno (1987) 164 CLR 1 Mehmet v Benson (1965) 113 CLR 295 Metall und Rohstoff A.G. v ACLI Metals (London) Ltd [1984] 1 Lloyd's Rep 598 Musca & Ors v Astle Corporation Pty Ltd & Anor (1988) 80 ALR 251 New Zealand and Australian Land Co. v Watson (1881) 7 QBD 374 Romanos v Pentagold Investments Pty Ltd [2003] HCA 58, (2003) 201 ALR 399 Rookes v Barnard [1964] AC 1129 Tanwar Enterprises Pty Ltd v Joseph Cauchi & Ors [2003] HCA 57, (2003) 201 ALR 359 Uren v John Fairfax & Sons Pty Ltd (1966) 117 CLR 118 XL Petroleum (NSW) Pty Ltd v Caltex Oil (Australia) Pty Ltd (1985) 155 CLR 448 Terry Donald Hill (Plaintiff) David Anthony James (First Defendant) PARTIES : Bearing Traders Pty Ltd (Second Defendant) David George Brooks (Third Defendant) Liquor National Pty Ltd (Fourth Defendant) Wine National Pty Ltd (Fifth Defendant) FILE NUMBER(S) : SC 50149/02 COUNSEL : MR Aldridge SC and RD Glasson (Plaintiff) CR Newlinds SC and DA Allen (Defendants) SOLICITORS : Eddy & Moloney Solicitors (Plaintiff) Catalyst Partners (Defendants)