Uber BV & Anor v Howarth [2017] NSWSC 54

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Uber BV & Anor v Howarth [2017] NSWSC 54 Hearing dates: 6 & 7 February 2017 Date of orders: 03 April 2017 Decision date: 03 April 2017 Jurisdiction: Equity Before: Slattery J Decision: Permanent injunction granted. Catchwords: TORT – tort of intimidation – application for injunction in Equity's auxiliary jurisdiction and under Supreme Court Act 1970, s 66 – plaintiffs facilitate drivers to provide transport services to members of the public – defendant performs citizen's arrests upon, and engages in threatening behavior against the plaintiff's employees and persons using the plaintiff's technology to provide transport services - plaintiff seeks to restrain the defendant from intimidation, arresting, threatening or harassing the defendant's employees or drivers who have entered contracts with the plaintiff to use the plaintiff's technology platform to provide transportation services to third parties – whether plaintiff committed the tort of intimidation – whether existing interlocutory injunction should be made permanent. Legislation Cited: Crimes Act 1900 Evidence Act 1995, s 128 Law Enforcement (Powers and Responsibilities) Act 2002 Passenger Transport Act 1990 Passenger Transport Amendment (Taxis and Hire Cars) Regulation 2015 Passenger Transport Regulation 2007 Supreme Court Act 1970, s 66 Cases Cited: Abebe v Commonwealth of Australia (1999) 197 CLR 510 Barber v Penley [1893] 2 Ch 447 Castlemaine Tooheys Ltd v State of South Australia (1986) 161 CLR 148 Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union v Boral Resources (Vic) Pty Ltd (2014) 45 VR 571 Corvisy v Corvisy [1982] 2 NSWLR 557 Day v Brownrigg (1878) 10 Ch D 294 Dowse v State of NSW [2012] NSWCA 337 Director of Public Proescutions (NSW) v AM (2006) 161 A Crim R 219Director of Public Prosecutions v CAD [2003] NSWSC 196 Director of Public Prosecutions (NSW) v Carr [2002] 127 A Crim. R. 151 Director of Public Prosecutions (NSW) v Mathews – Hunter (2014) 242 A Crim R 319 Earl of Harrington v Corporation of Derby. [1905] 1 Ch 205 Foster v R (1993) 67 ALJR 550 Fleet v District Court of NSW [1999] NSWCA 363 Jenkins v Hope [1896] 1 Ch 278 Kruger v The Commonwealth of Australia (1997) 190 CLR 1 Leader v Moody (1875) LR 20 Eq 145 Llandudno Urban District Council v Woods [1899] 2 Ch 705 London and Blackwell Railway Company v Cross (1885) 31 Ch D 354 Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs v Eshetu (1999) 197 CLR 611 Proctor v Bayley (1889) 42 Ch D 390 R v Clarence (1888) 22 QBD 23 R v Dungay (2001) 126 A Crim R 216 Shanahan v Fitzgerald [1982] 2 NSWLR 513 Sid Ross Agency Pty Limited v Actors and Announcers Equity Association of Australia [1971] 1 NSWLR 760 Waterside Workers Federation of Australia v J.W. Alexander Ltd (1918) 25 CLR 434 Williams v R (1986) 161 CLR 278 Texts Cited: RP Meagher, JD Heydon, MJ Leeming, Meagher, Gummow & Lehane's Equity: Doctrines and Remedies (5th ed 2015, Butterworths LexisNexis), [21 – 040], [21-060]. Category: Principal judgment Parties: First Plaintiff: Uber BV Second Plaintiff: Uber Australia Pty Ltd Defendant: Russell Howarth Representation: Counsel: