Nash v State of New South Wales [2015] NSWDC 144

District Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Nash v State of New South Wales [2015] NSWDC 144 Hearing dates: 10, 11 and 12 November 2014; 11 February 2015; 23 March 2015; 28 April 2015 Date of orders: 10 June 2015 Decision date: 10 June 2015 Jurisdiction: Civil Before: Gibson DCJ Decision: (1) Judgment for the plaintiff. (2) Liberty to the parties to bring in short minutes of order reflecting the mathematically agreed sum for judgment including any claim for interest. (3) Defendant pay plaintiff's costs. (4) Liberty to apply in relation to order 2, interest and costs. (5) Exhibits retained for 28 days. Catchwords: TORT - claim for unlawful arrest, assault and battery and malicious prosecution - police officer observes plaintiff leaving licensed premises - plaintiff forcibly detained outside his home, tackled to the ground and charged with driving under the influence of alcohol and resisting arrest - whether claims for unlawful arrest, assault and battery made out - whether claim for malicious prosecution made out - defendant obtained exculpatory evidence from the licenced premises which was withheld at the criminal proceedings - general damages - claim for out of pocket expenses for injuries - aggravated damages - exemplary damages. Legislation Cited: Civil Liability Act 2002 (NSW), s 3B Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW), s 63 Crimes Act 1900 (NSW), ss 58, 546C Evidence Act 1995 (NSW), s 140 Law Enforcement (Powers and Responsibilities) Act 2002 (NSW), ss 99, 114 – 117, 201, 230 and 231 Law Enforcement (Powers and Responsibilities) Amendment Act 2014 (NSW), Pt 15, Sch 2 Liquor Act 2007 (NSW) Police Act 1990 (NSW), ss 3 and 6 Road Traffic Act 1974 (WA) Road Transport (Safety and Traffic Management) Act 1999 (NSW), ss 12 and 13 Cases Cited: A v New South Wales (2007) 230 CLR 500 Briginshaw v Briginshaw (1938) 60 CLR 336 Carter v Walker (2010) 32 VR 1 Christie v Leachinsky [1947] AC 573 Clowser v Chaplin; Finnigan v Sandiford [1981] 1 WLR 837 (HL) Cosentino v Kent [2009] QCA 355 Coyle v State of New South Wales [2006] NSWCA 95 Davis v Gell (1924) 35 CLR 275 Dobie v Pinker [1983] WAR 48 Drage v Western Australia [2015] WADC 20 Fagan v Metropolitan Commissioner of Police [1969] 1 QB 439 Hamod v New South Wales [2011] NSWCA 375 Houda v State of New South Wales [2005] NSWSC 1053 Hume v R (1999) 106 A Crim R 411 Kuru v New South Wales (2008) 236 CLR 1 Landini v State of New South Wales & Ors [2008] NSWSC 1280 Louis v State of Tasmania [2001] TASSC 154 Martin v Watson [1996] AC 74 McCarthy v New South Wales [2015] NSWCA 153 McDonald v Coles Myer Ltd (t/as K-Mart Chatswood) (1995) Aust Torts Reports 81-361 McIntosh v Webster (1980) 43 FLR 112 Mitchell v John Heine & Son Ltd (1938) 38 SR (NSW) 466 Morris v Beadmore [1981] AC 446 Neat Holdings Pty Ltd v Karajan Holdings Pty Ltd (1992) 67 ALJR 170 New South Wales v Ibbett (2005) 65 NSWLR 168 New South Wales v Ibbett (2006) 229 CLR 638 New South Wales v Landini [2010] NSWCA 157 New South Wales v Radford (2010) 79 NSWLR 327 New South Wales v Riley (2003) 57 NSWLR 496 New South Wales v Tyszyk [2008] NSWCA 107 New South Wales v Zreika [2011] NSWCA 340 Nye v New South Wales (2004) ATR 81-725 Ruddock v Taylor (2005) 222 CLR 612 Skrijel v Mengler [2003] VSC 270 State of New South Wales v Abed [2014] NSWCA 419 State of NSW v Hathaway [2010] NSWCA 184 Talovic v New South Wales [2014] NSWCA 33 Trobridge v Hardy (1955) 94 CLR 147 Woodley v Boyd [2001] NSWCA 35 Zaravinos v New South Wales [2004] NSWCA 320 Texts Cited: New South Wales, Legislative Assembly, Second Reading Speech (Hansard, 17 September 2002) (Mr Debus) Category: Principal judgment Parties: Plaintiff: Bernard Andrew Nash Defendant: State of New South Wales Representation: Counsel: Plaintiff: Mr R E Quickenden Defendant: Mr M Hutchings