Day v The Ocean Beach Hotel Shellharbour Pty Ltd [2013] NSWCA 250

Court of Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Day v The Ocean Beach Hotel Shellharbour Pty Ltd [2013] NSWCA 250 Hearing dates: 8 July 2013 Decision date: 05 August 2013 Before: Meagher JA [1]; Emmett JA [2]; Leeming JA [5] Decision: 1. Appeal dismissed with costs. 2. To the extent that the third respondent has purportedly been joined to this appeal, its name be removed. [Note: The Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 provide (Rule 36.11) that unless the Court otherwise orders, a judgment or order is taken to be entered when it is recorded in the Court's computerised court record system. Setting aside and variation of judgments or orders is dealt with by Rules 36.15, 36.16, 36.17 and 36.18. Parties should in particular note the time limit of fourteen days in Rule 36.16.] Catchwords: TORTS - vicarious liability - plaintiff injured when removed from licensed premises by security guard - removal constituted assault and battery - employer of security guard vicariously liable - whether hotel or licensee vicariously liable for security guard's tortious conduct - whether tortious conduct directly authorised - whether security guard agent of hotel or licensee - whether licensee directly liable under Liquor Act 2007, s 91 - whether Australian law admits of theory of dual vicarious liability

DAMAGES - general principles - aggravated damages - exemplary damages - appeal on ground that damages inadequate - high level of appellate deference - no appellable error found Legislation Cited: Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) Law Reform (Vicarious Liability) Act 1983 Liquor Act 1982 Liquor Act 2007 Navigation Act 1912 (Cth) Security Industry Act 1997 Security Industry Regulation 2007 Cases Cited: Adams v Kennedy [2000] NSWCA 152; (2000) 49 NSWLR 78 Aristocrat Technologies Australia Pty Ltd v DAP Services (Kempsey) Pty Ltd [2007] FCAFC 40; (2007) 157 FCR 564 Bondi Beach Astra Retirement Village Pty Ltd v Gora [2011] NSWCA 396; (2011) 16 BPR 30,111 Brooks v Burns Philp Trustee Co Ltd (1969) 121 CLR 432 Burnie Port Authority v General Jones Pty Ltd (1994) 179 CLR 520 Colonial Mutual Life Assurance Society Ltd v The Producers and Citizens Co-operative Assurance Company of Australia Ltd (1931) 46 CLR 41 Deatons Pty Ltd v Flew (1949) 79 CLR 370 Esso Petroleum v Hall Russell [1989] 1 AC 643 Ex parte Coulson; Re Jones (1948) 48 SR NSW 178 Ex parte King; Re Blackley (1938) 38 SR (NSW) 483 Farah Constructions Pty Ltd v Say-Dee Pty Ltd [2007] HCA 22; (2007) 230 CLR 89 Flint v Lovell [1935] 1 KB 354 Fowles v Eastern and Australian Steamship Co Ltd [1916] 2 AC 556 Gamser v Nominal Defendant (1977) 136 CLR 145 Gray v Motor Accident Commission [1998] HCA 70; (1998) 196 CLR 1 Gutman v McFall [2004] NSWCA 378; (2004) 61 NSWLR 599 Hollis v Vabu Pty Ltd [2001] HCA 44; (2001) 207 CLR 21 Kennedy v De Trafford [1897] AC 180 Kuru v New South Wales [2008] HCA 26; (2008) 236 CLR 1 Lamb v Cotogno (1987) 164 CLR 1 Laugher v Pointer (1826) 5 B & C 547; 108 ER 204 Miller v Jennings (1954) 92 CLR 190 New South Wales v Ibbett [2006] HCA 57; (2006) 229 CLR 638 New South Wales v Lepore [2003] HCA 4; (2003) 212 CLR 511 Northern Sandblasting Pty Ltd v Harris (1997) 188 CLR 313 Oceanic Crest Shipping Company v Pilbara Harbour Services Pty Ltd (1986) 160 CLR 626 Perpetual Custodians Ltd as custodian for Tamoran Pty Ltd as trustee for Michael Crivelli v IOOF Investment Management Ltd [2013] NSWCA 231 Precision Plastics Pty Ltd v Demir (1975) 132 CLR 362 Quarman v Barnett (1840) 6 M & W 499; 151 ER 509 Raben Footwear Pty Ltd v Polygram Records Inc [1997] FCA 370; (1997) 75 FCR 88 R v Rymer (1877) 2 QBD 136 Sealey v Tandy [1902] 1 KB 296 Sprod bnf v Public Relations Oriented Security Pty Ltd [2007] NSWCA 319; (2007) Aust Torts Reports 81-921 Starks v RSM Security Pty Ltd [2004] NSWCA 351; (2004) Aust Torts Reports 81-763 Stoneman v Lyons (1975) 133 CLR 550 Sweeney v Boylan Nominees Pty Ltd [2006] HCA 19; (2006) 226 CLR 161 Torette House Pty Ltd v Berkman (1939) 39 SR (NSW) 156 Uren v John Fairfax & Sons Pty Ltd (1966) 117 CLR 118 Vabu Pty Ltd v Federal Commissioner of Taxation (1996) 33 ATR 537 Various Claimants v The Catholic Child Welfare Society [2012] UKSC 56; [2012] 3 WLR 1319 Viasystems (Tyneside) Ltd v Thermal Transfer (Northern) Ltd [2005] EWCA Civ 1151; [2006] QB 510 XL Petroleum (NSW) Pty Ltd v Caltex Oil (Australia) Pty Ltd (1985) 155 CLR 448 Ying v Song [2009] NSWSC 1344 Zorom Enterprises Pty Ltd v Zabow [2007] NSWCA 106; (2007) 71 NSWLR 354 Zuijs v Wirth Brothers Pty Ltd (1955) 93 CLR 561 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Julia Day (Appellant) The Ocean Beach Hotel Shellharbour Pty Ltd (First Respondent) Karma Elliott-Cosmos (Second Respondent) Representation: Counsel: J Maconachie QC with E Chrysostomou (Appellant) R Cheney SC (First and Second Respondents) Solicitors: McGrath Dicembre & Co (Appellant) Lee & Lyons Lawyers (First and Second Respondents) File Number(s): 2012/226423 Decision under appeal Jurisdiction: 9101 Date of Decision: 2013-04-23 00:00:00 Before: Cogswell DCJ File Number(s): 2010/379772