State of New South Wales v Klein [2006] NSWCA 295

Reported Decision : (2006) Aust Torts Reports 81-862

New South Wales Court of Appeal

CITATION: State of New South Wales v Klein [2006] NSWCA 295

HEARING DATE(S): 4 September 2006

JUDGMENT DATE: 3 November 2006

JUDGMENT OF: Beazley JA at 1; Santow JA at 2; Young CJ in Eq at 3

DECISION: (1) Appeal allowed; (2) Set aside order made below and in lieu thereof order that the plaintiffs' claim be dismissed with costs; (3) Respondents pay the costs of this appeal.

CATCHWORDS: NEGLIGENCE- Duty of care- Application to strike out claim- Whether police owe duty of care to individuals- Fatal police shooting- Damages claimed by relatives of deceased for psychiatric injury- Held there was no assumption of responsibility by police to plaintiffs/respondents- Claim struck out.

LEGISLATION CITED: Compensation to Relatives Act 1987 Suitors' Fund Act 1951

Brooks v Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis [2005] 1 WLR 1495 Cran v State of New South Wales (2004) 62 NSWLR 95 D'Orta-Ekenaike v Victoria Legal Aid (2005) 223 CLR 1; 79 ALJR 755 Elguzouli-Daf v Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis [1995] QB 335 General Steel Industries Inc v Commissioner for Railways (NSW) (1964) 112 CLR 125 Hill v Chief Constable of West Yorkshire [1989] AC 53 CASES CITED: Knightley v Johns [1982] 1 WLR 349 Rigby v Chief Constable of Northamptonshire [1985] 1 WLR 1242 State of New South Wales v Heins [2005] NSWCA 258 State of New South Wales v Napier [2002] NSWCA 402 Sullivan v Moody (2001) 207 CLR 562 Tame v New South Wales (2002) 211 CLR 317 Thompson v Vincent [2005] NSWCA 219 Zalewski v Turcarolo [1995] 2 VR 562