Orcher v Bowcliff Pty Ltd [2012] NSWSC 1088

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Orcher v Bowcliff Pty Ltd [2012] NSWSC 1088 Hearing dates: 5-7 October 2010, 27 June-1 July 2011, 1-3 February 2012 Decision date: 12 September 2012 Jurisdiction: Common Law Before: Harrison J Decision: 1. Verdict for the plaintiff for $1,362,591. 2. Order the defendants to pay the plaintiff's costs. 3. Declare that, having regard to the extent of the fourth cross-defendant's responsibility for the plaintiff's loss and damage, it is just and equitable as between the parties to the fourth cross-claim that the fourth cross-defendant contribute 30 percent of the damages and costs which the plaintiff has become entitled to recover from the cross-claimants. 4. Grant liberty to all parties to apply on short notice for such orders or directions as may appear to be necessary with respect to any arithmetical aspects of my calculation of damages. Catchwords: NEGLIGENCE - duty of care - patron of hotel injured when assaulted by employee of licensed premises outside hotel in the street - duty of occupier of licensed premises to patrons beyond the licensed premise - duty of security guards to patrons beyond the licensed premises Legislation Cited: Civil Liability Act 2002 Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1946 Liquor Act 2007 Security Industries Act 1997 Cases Cited: Adeels Palace Pty Ltd v Moubarek [2009] HCA 48; (2009) 239 CLR 420 Bowcliff Pty Ltd v QBE Insurance (Aust) Ltd; John James Orcher v QBE Insurance (Australia) Ltd [2011] NSWCA 18 Chordas v Bryant (Wellington) Pty Ltd (1988) 20 FCR 91 Collingwood Hotel Pty Ltd v O'Reilly; Night Knowledge Security Pty Ltd v O'Reilly [2007] NSWCA 155 Cregan Hotel Management Pty Ltd v Hadaway [2011] NSWCA 338 Deatons Pty Ltd v Flew (1949) 50 SR (NSW) 50; (1949) 79 CLR 370 Desmond v Cullen [2001] NSWCA 238 Graham v Baker [1961] HCA 48; (1961) 106 CLR 340 Graham Barclay Oysters Pty Ltd v Ryan [2002] HCA 54; (2002) 211 CLR 540 Laresu Pty Ltd v Clark [2010] NSWCA 180 New South Wales v Lepore [2003] HCA 4; (2003) 212 CLR 511 Medlin v State Government Insurance Commission [1995] HCA 5; (1995) 182 CLR 1 Modbury Triangle Shopping Centre Pty Ltd v Anzil [2000] HCA 61; (2000) 205 CLR 254 North Sydney Leagues Club Limited v Berecry [2002] NSWCA 154; (2002) Aust Torts Reports 81-657 Perkins v Redmond Co Pty Ltd [2007] NSWDC 147; (2007) 5 DCLR (NSW) 21 Portelli v Tabriska Pty Ltd [2009] NSWCA 17 Quintano v B W Rose Pty Ltd [2009] NSWSC 446 Roads and Traffic Authority (NSW) v Dederer [2007] HCA 42; (2007) 234 CLR 330 Rooty Hill RSL Club Ltd v Karimi [2009] NSWCA 2 Scott v Davis [2000] HCA 52; (2000) 204 CLR 333 Spedding v Nobles; Spedding v McNally [2007] NSWCA 29; (2007) 69 NSWLR 100 Sprod bnf v Public Relations Oriented Security Pty Ltd [2007] NSWCA 319; (2007) Aust Torts Reports 81-921 Sweeney v Boylan Nominees Pty Ltd [2006] HCA 19; (2006) 226 CLR 161 Wagstaff v Haslam [2007] NSWCA 28; (2007) 69 NSWLR 1 Voli v Inglewood Shire Council (1963) 110 CLR 74 Waverly Council v Ferreira [2005] NSWCA 418 Zorom Enterprises Pty Ltd (in liq) v Zabow [2007] NSWCA 106; (2007) 71 NSWLR 354 Category: Principal judgment Parties: John James Orcher (Plaintiff) Bowcliff Pty Ltd (t/as The Bridge Hotel Rozelle) (First Defendant) Tamiano Paseka (Second Defendant) Richard Francis Keough (Third Defendant) QBE Insurance (Australia) Limited (Fourth Defendant) Representation: J E Sexton SC with C Heazlewood (Plaintiff) R S Sheldon SC (First and Third Defendants) S G Campbell SC with T Berberian (Fourth Defendant) Carneys Lawyers (Plaintiff) Wotton + Kearney (First and Third Defendants) HWL Ebsworth (Fourth Defendant) File Number(s): 2009/296392