Hamod v State of New South Wales (No 12) [2009] NSWSC 242

New South Wales Supreme Court

CITATION : Hamod v State of New South Wales (No 12) [2009] NSWSC 242

HEARING DATE(S) : 2 - 20 June 2008; 8 - 10 and 15 - 17 September 2008; final submissions 21 October 2008

JUDGMENT DATE : 3 April 2009

JUDGMENT OF : Harrison J

DECISION : 1. Verdict for the first defendant. 2. Verdict for the second defendant.

CATCHWORDS : TORTS – wrongful arrest and false imprisonment - malicious prosecution - absence of reasonable and probable cause for prosecution – whether reasonable basis for prosecutor's belief - injurious falsehood – conspiracy to injure by lawful means – conspiracy to injure by unlawful means – where first plaintiff arrested following investigation by police into allegations that he was in possession of a bogus certificate of guarantee for 4590 tonnes of platinum – where first plaintiff attempting to sell the certificate – where first plaintiff charged under Crimes Act 1900 s 178BB that he made a statement about the legitimate title to the certificate which he knew to be false or misleading in a material particular – where first plaintiff imprisoned for seven months – subsequently acquitted by magistrate – whether plaintiffs established malice and absence of reasonable and probable cause for prosecution

LEGISLATION CITED : Crimes Act 1900 Criminal Procedure Act 1986

CATEGORY : Principal judgment

A v New South Wales [2007] HCA 10; (2007) 230 CLR 500 Adams v Kennedy [2000] NSWCA 152; (2000) 49 NSWLR 78 Ali v Nationwide News Pty Ltd [2008] NSWCA 183 Attorney-General for New South Wales v Perpetual Trustee Company Limited (1954) 92 CLR 113 Australian Wool Innovation Ltd v Newkirk [2005] FCA 290; (2005) ATPR 42-053 Browne v Dunn (1893) 6 R 67 Cabassi v Vila [1940] HCA 41; (1940) 64 CLR 130 Christie v Leachinsky [1947] AC 573 Collins v Wilcock [1984] 1 WLR 1172 Commonwealth v Griffiths [2007] NSWCA 370; (2007) 70 NSWLR 268 Cox v Journeaux (No 2) [1935] HCA 48; (1935) 52 CLR 713 Crofter Hand Woven Harris Tweed Company Limited v Veitch [1942] AC 435 Director of Public Prosecutions v Puskar (Supreme Court of New South Wales, Newman J, 9 July 1992, unreported) Dresna Pty Ltd v Misu Nominees Pty Ltd [2004] FCAFC 169 Enever v R [1906] HCA 3; (1906) 3 CLR 969 Fatimi Pty Ltd v Bryant [2004] NSWCA 140; (2004) 59 NSWLR 678 Fleet v District Court of NSW [1999] NSWCA 363 George v Rockett [1990] HCA 26; (1990) 170 CLR 104 CASES CITED : Lonrho Plc v Al-Fayed [1992] 1 AC 448 Mann v O'Neill [1997] HCA 28; (1997) 191 CLR 204 Marrinan v Vibart [1963] 1 QB 234 McKernan v Fraser [1931] HCA 54; (1931) 46 CLR 343 McWilliam v Penthouse Publications Ltd [2001] NSWCA 237 New South Wales v Tyszyk [2008] NSWCA 107 Northern Territory v Mengel [1995] HCA 65; (1995) 185 CLR 307 Palmer-Bruyn & Parker Pty Ltd v Parsons [2001] HCA 69; (2001) 208 CLR 388 R v Beydoun (1990) 22 NSWLR 256 R v Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis; Ex Parte Blackburn [1968] 2 QB 118 R v Rogerson [1992] HCA 25; (1992) 174 CLR 268 Spencer v Australian Capital Territory [2007] NSWSC 303 State of New South Wales v Delly [2007] NSWCA 303; (2007) 70 NSWLR 125 The Mentone Racing Club v The Victorian Railways Commissioner (1902) 28 VLR 77 Thomas v State of New South Wales [2008] NSWCA 316; White v Baycorp Advantage Business Information Services Ltd [2006] NSWSC 441 Williams v Hursey [1959] HCA 51; (1959) 103 CLR 30 Womboin Pty Ltd v Reichelt (Supreme Court of New South Wales, Windeyer J, 25 August 1995, unreported) Zavarinos v State of New South Wales [2004] NSWCA 320; (2004) 62 NSWLR 58