Portelli v Tabriska Pty Ltd & Ors [2009] NSWCA 17

Appeal Outcome: Special leave dismissed with costs by the High Court, 3 November 2009 s54/2009

New South Wales Court of Appeal

CITATION: Portelli v Tabriska Pty Ltd & Ors [2009] NSWCA 17

HEARING DATE(S): 21 October 2008

JUDGMENT DATE: 17 February 2009

JUDGMENT OF: Allsop P at 1; Hodgson JA at 73; Macfarlan JA at 74

DECISION: Appeal dismissed with costs.

CATCHWORDS: TORTS – negligence – duty of care – publicans and security firms – previous altercation between patrons on premises – whether duty of care is owed with regards to later altercations between patrons occurring off the premises – need for apprehension of risk to the patrons - EVIDENCE – rejection of evidence of a witness – failure to deal with written statement of witness who gives oral evidence–inferences to be drawn from failure to call a witness

LEGISLATION CITED: Liquor Act 1982 (NSW)

CATEGORY: Principal judgment

Brandi v Mingot (1976) 12 ALR 551 Club Italia (Geelong) Inc v Ritchie [2001] VSCA 180; 3 VR 447 Cole v South Tweed Heads Rugby League Football Club Limited [2004] HCA 29; 217 CLR 469 Collingwood Hotel Pty Limited v O'Reilly [2007] NSWCA 155 De Groot v The Nominal Defendant [2005] NSWCA 61 Desmond v Cullen [2001] NSWCA 238; 34 MVR 186 Graham Barclay Oysters Pty Limited v Ryan [2002] HCA 54; 211 CLR 540 Jones v Dunkel (1959) 101 CLR 298 Lanahmede Pty Limited v Koch [2004] SASC 204 CASES CITED: Manly Council v Byrne [2004] NSWCA 123 Modbury Triangle Shopping Centre Pty Limited v Anzil [2000] HCA 61; 205 CLR 254 NSW Bar Association v Meakes [2006] NSWCA 340 Oxlade v Gosbridge Pty Limited [1998] NSWCA 167 Payne v Parker [1976] 1 NSWLR 191 Roads and Traffic Authroity of New South Wales v Dederer [2007] HCA 42; 234 CLR 330 Rooty Hill RSL Club Ltd v Karimi [2009] NSWCA 2 South Tweed Heads Rugby League Football Club Ltd v Cole [2002] NSWCA 205; 55 NSWLR 113 Spedding v Nobles [2007] NSWCA 29 TAB Ltd v Atlis [2004] NSWCA 322 Wagstaff v Haslem [2007] NSWCA 28