John Edward Thornton v State of New South Wales [2017] NSWCA 248

Court of Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: John Edward Thornton v State of New South Wales [2017] NSWCA 248 Hearing dates: 20 September 2017 Decision date: 06 October 2017 Before: Meagher JA at [1]; Gleeson JA at [41]; Fagan J at [42]. Decision: 1. Appeal dismissed. 2. Appellant pay respondent's costs of the appeal. Catchwords: TORTS – battery – assault – where police used significant force in arresting plaintiff – where arrest said to be wrongful at common law and under Law Enforcement (Powers and Responsibilities) Act 2002 (NSW) – whether primary judge erred in preferring police evidence over contrary evidence of plaintiff – whether primary judge erred by failing to provide adequate reasons for preferring police evidence – whether primary judge erred in finding that police officers identified themselves as police and that communicating required information was otherwise impracticable Legislation Cited: Law Enforcement (Powers and Responsibilities) Act 2002 (NSW), ss 201, 230, 231 Cases Cited: Fox v Percy (2003) 214 CLR 118; [2003] HCA 22 Jones v Dunkel (1959) 101 CLR 298 Krivoshev v Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals [2005] NSWCA 76 Kuru v State of New South Wales (2008) 236 CLR 1; [2008] HCA 26 Monie v Commonwealth (2005) 63 NSWLR 729; [2005] NSWCA 25 Poidevin v Semaan (2013) 85 NSWLR 758; [2013] NSWCA 334 State of New South Wales v McCarthy [2015] NSWCA 153 Woodley v Boyd [2001] NSWCA 35 Category: Principal judgment Parties: John Edward Thornton (Appellant/Cross-Respondent) State of New South Wales (Respondent/Cross-Appellant) Representation: Counsel: A Moutasallem (Appellant/Cross-Respondent) J E Maconachie QC with M S Spartalis (Respondent/Cross-Appellant)