Rook v State of New South Wales (No 3) [2015] NSWDC 154

District Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Rook v State of New South Wales (No 3) [2015] NSWDC 154 Hearing dates: 18-22 May 2015; 25-29 May 2014; 1-4 June 2015; 10 June 2015 Date of orders: 10 June 2015 Decision date: 10 June 2015 Jurisdiction: Civil Before: Neilson DCJ Decision: Verdict and judgment for the plaintiff against the defendant for $18,590 Catchwords: TORTS – Police torts claims – Assault and battery – Detinue – False imprisonment – Malicious prosecution – Elements of the torts – Defendant required to justify arrest of the plaintiff – Arrest not justified under PCA legislation or LEPRA 2005

TORTS – Malicious prosecution – Elements of malice and absence of reasonable and probable cause – Onus on plaintiff – Prosecutor acted reasonably – Prosecutor's case arguable

WORDS AND PHRASES – "Home" – "Place of abode" – "Usual place of abode" – Road Transport (Safety and Traffic Management) Act 1999 s 17(d); cf Road Transport Act 2013 Sch 3 Pt 2 Div 1 cl 2(e)

WORDS AND PHRASES – Insulting language – "fag", "faggot" – Whether American usage now prevalent

DAMAGES – Unintentional torts – Interaction with Civil Liability Act 2002 – Whether plaintiff entitled to aggravated and/or exemplary damages – Comparable verdicts – Special damages – Costs of unsuccessful prosecution may be awarded in a claim for false imprisonment

DEFENCES – Civil Liability Act 2002 – s 54 – Ex turpi cause non oritur actio Legislation Cited: Civil Liability Act 2002 Evidence Act 1995 Law Enforcement (Powers and Responsibilities) Act 2002 Law Reform (Vicarious Liability) Act 1983 Motor Traffic Act 1909 Road Transport Act 2013 Road Transport Legislation Amendment (Drug Testing) Act, Number 79 of 2006 Road Transport (Safety and Traffic Management) Act 1999 Torts (Interference with Goods) Act 1977 (UK) Cases Cited: A v New South Wales [2007] HCA 10; (2007) 230 CLR 500 Beckett v New South Wales [2013] HCA 17 Cameron v James [1945] VLR 113 Clavel v Savage [2013] NSWSC 775 Director of Public Prosecutions (NSW) v Linnett [2006] NSWSC 1086; (2006) 68 NSWLR 85 Director of Public Prosecutions v Skewes [2002] NSWSC 1008 Fernando v Commonwealth of Australia [2010] FCA 753; (2010) 271 ALR 521 Flight Centre Ltd v Louw [2011] NSWSC 132; (2010) 78 NSWLR 656 Haberhauer v Simek (1991) 9 Petty Sessions Review 4235 Hage Ali v State of New South Wales [2009] NSWDC 266 Hall v Coughlan (1970) 91 WN (NSW) 886 Hamod v State of New South Wales [2011] NSWCA 375 Hunter Area Health Service and Another v Presland [2005] NSWCA 33 Hunter Area Health Service v Marchlewski (2000) 51 NSWLR 268 Jindi v State of New South Wales (unreported, 28 March 2014, Sorby DCJ, 2013/74966) Merchant v The Queen (1971) 126 CLR 414 Pringle v Everingham [2006] NSWCA 195 R v Clampett (1984) 11 A Crim R 103 R v Vatner (1992) 29 NSWLR 311 Saunders v Edwards [1987] 1 WLR 1116 State of New South Wales v Corby [2010] NSWCA 27; (2009) 76 NSWLR 439 New South Wales v Delly [2007] NSWCA 303 State of NSW v Hathaway [2010] NSWCA 184 State of New South Wales v Ibbett [2005] NSWCA 445; (2005) 65 NSWLR 168 State of New South Wales v Koumdjiev [2005] NSWCA 247; (2005) 63 NSWLR 353 New South Wales v Riley [2003] NSWCA 201 State of New South Wales v Williamson [2012] HCA 57; (2012) 248 CLR 417 Tilse v State of New South Wales [2013] NSWDC 265 Vellino v Chief Constable of Greater Manchester [2001] EWCA Civ 1249 Texts Cited: Australian National Dictionary (Oxford University Press, 1988) Bullen & Leake, Precedents of Pleading (13th) Shorter Oxford Dictionary, 5th Ed Category: Principal judgment Parties: David Duncan Rook (Plaintiff) State of New South Wales (Defendant) Representation: Counsel: Mr P Braham SC (Plaintiff) Mr L Robison (Plaintiff) Mr M Hutchings (Defendant)