Intentional torts
Actions on the case for wilful injury
ASSAULT
Nuisance
False imprisonment
TRESSPASS
Trespass to Goods
DEFENCES
Illegailty
Consent
Necessity
Self-defence
Provocation
Concerned with the making of threats
ELEMENTS:
Direct threat
Reasonable apprehension arose in them of an imminent bodily contact
If all proven, onus shifts to D to prove lack of fault
No contact actually needs to happen
There must be at least the possibility of physical contact for the threat to constitute an assualt - 16.6 854
‘ the defendant does not need to intend to carry it out in order for there to be an assault, provided the plaintiff reasonably believes that the threat will be carried out 16.17 pg 85
Richardson v Rix (1989) 12 MVR 522 (NSWSC) car collision D grabbed the keys from the ignition of the car of another could nto amount to assault- was not imminemt harm or assualt
Conditional threats can be if accompanied with the right actions
Tuberville v Savage (1669) 86 ER 684 D put his hand upon his sword and said to P: “If it were not assize time, I would not take such language”No assault The threat was a conditional one; and it would not be acted upon (so really, there was no threat)
Rozsa v Samuels [1969] SASR 205 D parked his taxi at the head of a queue. The P remonstrated with D and threatened to punch D in the head. D took a knife from his dashboard and retorted: ‘I will cut you to bits if you try.’Assault The words were not necessary by way of self defence (so, a conditional threat may be sufficient)- there not going to overly dissect the words to see if it was really conditional- need to look at overall context
Where they make threats to the plaintiff if they do a certain thing they will inflict violence
apprehension of imminent harmful or offensive contact (Rixon v Star City [2001] NSWCA 265)
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Need to look at capacity
E.g. prisoner in cell NO- we know they couldnt possibly act it out- Over the phone YES
Can include calling and not saying anything
Barton v armstrong= made threats to plaintiff over the phone to sign a deed- held could be an threat
Doesnt need to be an immediate threat
Taylor J at 455 held that it depends on the circumstances- can occur if it is clear they may occur sometime in the futur at times unspecified and uncertain
Knowledge/Fear
P must have actual knowelde of the threat
P’s apprehension is the gist of the action (a person who is asleep or unconscious cannot be assaulted)- no apphrension will be brought about unless they are awae of the threat
Look objectivley
Timid Plaintiff
Objective test: The threat must be sufficient to be able to raise apprehension in the mind of a reasonable person
Unless the D is aware of the P’s particular vulnerability e.g. timid: MacPherson v Beath (1975) 12 SASR 174
Zanker v Vartokas (1988) 34 A Crim R 11: P accepted a lift from a stranger D. D offered to pay her for sexual favours but P declined and demanded that D stop the vehicle. Instead, D sped up and said that he was taking P to his friend’s house where he “would really fix her up” - plaintiff jumped out of car which was driving 60ks an hour.
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Held:does not matter that the threat may not have been imment- the weight of threat continued “The fallacy in the D’s argument is the assumption that the words have effect only at the time they were uttered and heard, whereas they were ringing presently in her ears as a continuing threat…” (White J)
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It is for the D to negate the presence of fault eg hallucinatory drug and thus has no control over what they say
Does not matter if they have no intention of carrying out the threat rixon v starsy
Intend to inflict injury which is indirect. Innominate action on the case for wilful injury . Action on the case because indirectly inflicted harm .This action deals with anti social actions
Bird v Holbrook- D set up a spring gun on his property to catch a robber. P went onto D’s garden to catch a stray pea‐hen and was shot in the leg when he triggered the spring gun .Held:the court allowed recovery. Was
Wilkinson v Downton [1897] 2 QB 57
D returned from horserace and told P her husband was badly injured P suffered great mental anguish. Held: “The D has wilfully done an act calculated to cause harm to the P … and in fact thereby caused harm to her.” 58‐59 (Wright J)
The making of the statement on its own was not wrong ful it only became tortful because the defendant objectively knew the damage to the plaintiff- was a natural and probable result of his conduct - these principles reaffirmed below.
ELEMENTS
Intentional act by D
Calculated to cause harm- damage is essential
In fact causing harm - more then alarm or distress
Provided effect would be produced on a person of ordinary health and mind
What about a plaintiff who is unusually sensitive
Needs to be viewed up against a reasonable person’s sensitivity unless P’s unusual sensitiy is known
Bunyan v Jordan (1937) 57 CLR 1 P was employee of D . P saw D with loaded revolver . P overheard D saying he would shoot someone . P later heard a shot fired (but D was unharmed) . P suffered nervous shock Held: No cause of action. The intentional words had to be uttered directly to P, or at least in P’s presence; also P was overly sensitive- would have been different if the defendant knew of this.
Carrier v Bonham [2001] QCA 234 D mentally ill. Attempted suicide by stepping in front of a moving bus . P bus driver suffered nervous shock. Held: action on the case and negligence made out
“Calculated” ‐ means “objectively likely to happen”, rather than subjectively contemplated or intended
“when one person directly subjects another to total deprivation of freedom of movement without lawful justification.”
Trevorrow v South Australia (No 5) (2007) 98 SASR 136, [982] (Gray J)
ELEMENTS
DIRECT( From trespass)
Intentioanl (or negligent from trespass)
Total Restraint on P's Liberty
Without lawful justification
Does not have to be a prison or for a long time
P can have entered confiment volunatirly
Bird v Jones (1845) 7 QB 742 Parts of public road (Hammersmith Bridge) enclosed P prevented from walking on that part of the road[I]mprisonment is … a total restraint of the liberty of the person, for however short a time, and not a partial obstruction of his will, whatever inconvenience it may bring on him” Patteson J
McFadzean v Construcion, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union 2004Plaintiffs environmental protestors, defandants put up picket fence- said it was false imprisonment because they feared violence if they crossed
Held they werent impriosned because the definition of incarceration has been expanded. ‘There can be false imprisonment even if there is a notionall means of escape, provided that an available means is unreasonnabele.
Reasonable Means of escape
R v Macquarie (1877) 13 SCR (NSW) 264 M owed bank $, secured over his yacht . X tried to take possession .M said: “Let the Bank … have her and be damned!” He set the engines to full speed ahead, and cast the boat off .Was X falsely imprisoned- yes the escape was hazardous.
Burton v Davies [1953] St R Qd 26 • Car driven at speed. If the only means of escape is risk of personal injury to the plaintiff then there is false imprionsme
Brown v GJ Coles (1985) 59 ALR 455 B detained by store detective but later acquitted of larceny store had (on balance of probabilities) reasonable and proper cause to suspect crime had been committed
Myer Stores v Soo [1991] 2 VR 597 - False imprisonment in store, but not at police station
What about conditions on exit?
Balmain New Ferry Co v Robertson (1906) 4 CLR 379 • Fee on entry and exit (notice to this effect)- No total restraint
don’t detain beyond sentence Cowell v Corrective Services Commission of NSW (1988) 13 NSWLR 714
ONUS OF PR00F
the P need only establish he or she was imprisoned. They need not prove it was unlawful. It is for the D to prove there was a lawful excuse: Myer Stores v Soo
If the interference is reasonably necessary to avert some imminent threatened harm, but only if the harm that the defendant causes is not out of proportion to the harm that she or he seeks to avoid - seen for example in Leigh v Gladstone where it was necessity to feed the prisoner or else they would die 19.2 941
Nuisance is an action on the case. Guard against an occupiers enjoyment and use of the land.P needs to be affected over and beyond 2 forms of nuisance; public and private
PUBLIC
PRIVATE
“An unlawful interference with a person’s use or enjoyment of land, or of some right over, or in connexion with it.” Hargrave v Goldman (1963) 110 CLR 40, 49 (Windeyer J) 15.1 pg 783.
Nuisance protects from other interferences such as noise and vibrations.Protects from outside P’s land eg above, glare…
OCCURS (St Helens Smelting Co v Tipping/ Halsey v Esso Petroleum)
- By interference with use and enjoyment of property rights
- By Material damage to property
ELEMENTS
D's Conduct
Causes serious and unreasonable ineterference
With P's Beneficial use or enjoyment of their land.
Right to sue
As private nuisance consists of an interference with ‘recognised rights’ in property, it should follow that only those with right in, or over, property should have standing to sue in private nuisance- 15.27 pg 804
physical damage to property - eg trees killed by fumes intangibles: smoke, noise, fumes, glare, offensive sights(?) … interference with property rights (eg easements)
DOES NOT PROTECT views, privacy, TV reception
Interference must be with respect to a recognised right of a property. Cant stop someone from photographing. CL protection on privacy is not clear yet.Being looked at from outside your property is not a nuisance
EXAMPLES
McKenzie v Powley [1916] SALR 1 ‐ the singing of songs in a Salvation Army Hall at 7am on a Sunday was considered to be a nuisance
Raciti v Hughes (1995) 7 BPR 14,837 – surveillance of P’s land might be nuisance
thompson‐Schwab v Costaki [1956] 1 WLR 151- coming and going of prostitutes- could amount
Broderick Motors v Rothe (1986) ATR 80‐059 (NSW SC)‐ a bomb of a car- unlikeyl to be nusiance- put signs saying not to buy a car out front off dealership where it was bought
Victoria Park Racing v Taylor (1937) 58 CLR 479 platform overlooking racecourse - was unsuccessful- use of racecourse could be used as normal- overlooking did not impact the way occupier could use their land
Hunter v Canary Wharf [1997] AC 655 ‐ lost television reception due to bug building- unsuccessful
Bury v Pope (1586) 1 Cro Eliz 118, 78 ER 375- finished building which prevented sunlight from reaching buries window due to loss of sunlight- pope the landowner had the preogatvie to build whatever he wantedBalance to protect people form nuisance and people to use the full right of their land
May be a single or continuing factor- Balancing exercise so there is a limiting factor
Factors to be considered
Plain and sober and simple Notions
Walter v Selfe (1851) 64 ER 849, 852 (Knight Bruce VC) Ask whether the inconvenience is “more than fanciful, more than one of mere delicacy or fastidiousness, … an inconvenience materially interfering with the ordinary comfort physically of human existence, not merely according to elegant or dainty modes and habits of living, but according to plain and sober and simple notions among the English people.”
‘ordinary usage of mankind’
Sedleigh Denfield v O’Callaghan [1940] AC 880, 488‐489 (Lord Wright) “It is impossible to give any precise or universal formula, but it may broadly be said that a useful test is … what is reasonable according to the ordinary usage of mankind living in society, or more correctly in a particular society.”
Objective test
‘give and take, live and let live’
Bamford v Turnley (1862) 122 ER 25, 33 (Bramwell B) The rule ‘is as much for the advantage of one owner as of another; for the very nuisance the one complains of, as the result of the ordinary use of this neighbour’s land, he himself will create in the ordinary use of his own, and the reciprocal nuisances are of a comparatively trifling character. The convenience of such a rule may be indicated by calling it a rule of give and take, live and let live
Clarey v Women’s College (1953) 90 CLR 170 - C let part of the house to uni students. The students caused noise late at night C complained of nuisance. Held: C could only reasonably expect that uni students would keep late hours and in doing so will make noise. The noises here were only those incidental to the occupation of a house.
Prima Facie, Nuisance Established
Consider all relevant factors
Material damage is More substantial interferencee then mere personal discomfort. The damages itself establish the nuisance
Burden of D to prove use of land was reaonsble in the circumstance (hard to prove considering there is material damage)
798 in corbett v pallas the COA NSW relied on Kraemers case to state that the plaintiff may establish a prima facie case of nuisance simply by proving the fact of damage and the plaintiff does not have to prove that the defendants us eof land was unreasonable and that the burden of proof is on the D to establish that its use of land was reaonabel, in which case it has a defence.
However
‘Mere interference that causes damage will not constitute nuisance’- riverman orchards v hayden 2017.
15.4 pg 785- To establish that an interference with her or his use and enjoyment of property ocntistutes a nusisance, the plaintiff must show that the interference was unreasonable in all the circumstance.
Balances plaintfiss desire to use and enjoy property without interference against defendants desire to undertake activity that causes the interference 786 15.4
Consider if d actions were reoansbale
Location, timing
Duration, frequency
Precautions
Motive of D
Nature of P’s interest
Sensitivity of P
Nusiance caused by 3rd party or natural event
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planning legislation has taken over- we wont get noisy factory built in suburbiaComing to a nuisance is no defence- e.g. moving to a night club- authority is Stuges v Bridgman.
Gillingham BC v Medway (Chatam) Dock Co [1992] 3 All ER 923 ‐ port traffic- only access through quiet suburbian street- no nuisance because the report changed the nature of the area so it was reoanble in the new cirucmstances
Feiner v Domachuk (1994) 35 NSWLR 485 ‐ mushroom farm- smells were held to bad because they were unreasonable in a normal ‘rural residential’ area- pg 786 15.5
Whether anything is a nuisance or not is a question to be determined, not merely by an abstract consideration of the thing itself, but in reference to its circumstance; what would be a nuisance in Belgrave square would not necessairyl be so in bermondsey- Thesiger LJ at 865 in sturges v Bridgman
Seidler v Luna Park (unreported, NSW SC,Hodgson J, 21 Sep 1995) the noise of the roller coaster was load enough to be a nuisance even though it had been running for years
Wherry v KB Hutcherson Pty Ltd- D did construction in business district causing noise and vibration on to P (soliciotr) Property. Held it was a nuisance during business hours but not outside of them- injunction made between certain hours.
Halsey v Esso Petroleum- balances against the duration of the interference caused 15.8 pg 788
Emphatically a question of degree’- see guant v Fynney.
However, more likely if it is continuing
Harris v Carnegie’s Pty Ltd [1917] VLR 95 Material damage caused by dust from renovations. Simple solutions to fix will not look favourably. Even if has taken steps not necessary or relevant
Good motive
Courts dont usually give weight to public interest
No nuisance- public interest in playing only available ground outweigh p personal interest
Didnt want to give injunction - so was a nuisance but only damages
Bad motive
Can turn reasonable conduct to unreasonable conduct and therefore a nusiance
Christie v Davey [1893] 1 ch 316 Banging against wall to interrupt P’s music lessons
Hollywood Silver Fox Farms v Emmett [1936] 2 KB 468; [1936] 1 All ER 825- d wanted to develop but neighbour run fox farm and had a sign- D fired a gun to startle the fox and he claimed he did it just to shoot his gun- was held to be a nusiance because was a bad motiv
Marsh v Baxter- an interference with an abnormally sensitive use of land would nevertheless constitute a nuisance if done maliciously- 15.10- ph791
D’s interference with P’s use and enjoyment of property may be judged to be not unreasonable if P is abnormally sensitive:
Robinson v Kilvert (1889) 41 Ch D 88 - Hot air that rose from D property ruined Brown papers stored on P apartment. Hot air wasnt nuisance because it wouldnt have interfered unduly with any ordinary use of the plaintiffs premises
Walter v Selfe- Knight Bruce VC said that the unreasonablness of an interference is judged ‘not merely according to elegant or dainty modes and habits of loving but according to plain and sober simple notions’. 15.9
Remedies
Injunctions
15.50 pg 819- The usual remedy that a plaintiff seeks in an action in private nuisance is an injunction to restrain the D.
Before trial = They can also seek an interlocturary injunction before trial- see for example Yakilt v national union of works- this will only be satisfied is there is a ‘serious question to be tried’ American cyanamid co v Ethicon Ltf 820 15.50.
grant an injunction known as ‘quia timet’ injunction, to restrain a threatened nuisance, even though no nuisance exists at the time of the injunction granted e.g. Barbagallo v J & F- this will only be granted if the threat is imminent or highly likely to occur
If successful= Grant permanent injunction but only if it is a continuing one stromer v ingram
Damages
Power to order damages in equity in lieu of an injunction- awarded ‘in respect of an injury which is still in the future’ bankstown city council v Alamdo Holdings 15.54 -h 821
The test for remoteness of damage in private nuisance is the sasme as the CL test for remoteness of damage in negligence, so the plaintiff may recover damages for all reasonably foreseeable consequences of the nuisance for which the D is liable.
Where the nuisance has foreseeably affected the market value of the plaintiffs property, the diminution in value of the property provides the primary measure of damages 15.55 823.
If it does affect markert value= nominal damages for loss of amenity- for example McKenzie v Powley 15.55 823.
Damages only reflect damage the interferences cause after the D became aware or ought to have become aware 15.560 pg 823-E.g. Valherie v Strata Corp.
If you know an interference created by third party then u have to remove it.
Occupier faced with a hazard accidently arising on his land must act with reasonable prudence so as to remove the hazardSedleigh‐Denfield v O’Callaghan [1940] AC 880 Blocked pipe flooded P’s land
Goldman v Hargrave (1966) 115 CLR 458 Fire not extinguished- could have easily extinguished the fire- was unreasonable
“[A] public nuisance is a nuisance which is so widespread in its range or so indiscriminate in its effect that it would not be reasonable to expect one person to take proceedings on his own … to put a stop to it, but that it should be taken on the responsibility of the community at large.” AG v PYA Quarries Ltd [1957] 2 QB 169, 191 (Denning LJ)- this case also highlighted difficulty of undestany a public nuisance.
Plaintiffs rights on their land dont need to be affected
HOW TO MAKE A CLAIM
By the Attorney General to enforce the public interest
By a private individual who suffers particular interference over above and beyond the general public
ELEMENTS
interferes with a public right
E.G. Higway/public place
pollution of public waterway (public right of navigation/public right to fish)
selling food unfit for consumption
Walsh v Ervin (1952) VLR 361 – farm – delay and inconvenience of a substantial character .
Deepcliffe v Gold Coast City Council (2001) 118 LGERA 117 – change to parking conditions
ball v Consolidated Rutile Ltd [1991] 1 Qd R 524 Failed action re public right to fish
Unlike private nuisance, it is not necessar for the plaintiff to have property rights in or over land 15.60 pg 827
Kent v Johnson [1973] 21 FLR 177 Would tower be a public nuisance because it is unsightly and will attract more traffic (includes a restaurant)? Held: CL can’t prohibit the construction of a building because some consider it to be unsightly. (Increased traffic could be managed adequately so not to amount to a public nuisance).
Conversion
Dealt with good in a way expressly or impliedly interferes with P right to goods. Concerned with P right to possess of control 18.11 911. Requires more then mere physical contact which is sufficient to trespass 18.11 911
ELEMENTS
WRONGFUL
INTENTIONAL ACT- not negligent
EXERCISE OF CONTROL OVER GOODS
IN A MANNER THAT DENIES P RIGHT TO POSSESSION
RIGHT TO SUE
Need to show immediate possession or better right to possession then D
Penfolds Wines Ltd v Elliott (1946) 74 CLR 204/Bailor out of possession suing for conversion/Perpetual Trustees v Perkins (1989) ATR 80‐295
Wilson v New Brighton Panel Beaters [1989] 1 NZLR 74- D towed away P car mistaken it was paid for by 3rd party.
Penfolds Wines Ltd v Elliott (1946) 74 CLR 204 at 229 (Dixon J)“The essence of conversion is a dealing with a chattel in a manner repugnant to the immediate right of possession of the person who has the property … in the chattel.”‘
An intent to do that which would debris the true owner of his immediate right to possession or impart it may be said to form the essential ground of the tort.
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Intention: to deny the owner’s rights, or to assert inconsistent rights
D need not be aware of true owners rights and can be acting in good faith
Wrongfully destroying or consuming goods
Taking goods and exercising control over them
Obtaining possession lawfully but then transferring it to someone else unlawfully: Glass v Hollander (1935) 35 SR(NSW) 304= Required to keep up with payments or will be sold- sold to auctioneer- auctioneer took them and so they had committed conversion
Wrongfully detaining goods: Flowfill Packaging v Fytore (1993) ATR 81-244Not all detention amount to conversion- D knew P owned the goods.
Wrongful use of goods: Penfolds Wines v Elliott (1946) 74 CLR 204 Bottles embossed with these words: “This bottle is the property of Penfold Wines” Not trespass Narrow majority held there was conversion
Look at the character of the acts done. Eg Bunnings v CHEP Australia [2011] NSWCA 342 (numerous timber pallets owned by P hired out and in commercial circulation)
Usual rule: finders acquire good title against all but the rightful owner: Armory v Delamirie (1722) 93 ER 664 - found a jewel- gold smith extracted the stone and refused to return- The boy had possession and was not lost to someone else
Rights of an occupier- Depends whether occupier had manifested a right to possession of all the land and everything on it
Parker v British Airways Board [1928] QB 1004- found gold bracelet asked to be called if owner not found- bracelt sold by airport- the founder had better right other then the owner- the airport did not manifest a right to possession off all the premises and everything left on it
Detinue
Demand for return of goods and refusal to do so
ELEMENTS
D possesses goods.
P has a right to immediate possession
P demands return of goods.D refuses
D refuses (or is unable) to return goods
Must be specific demand: Lloyd v Osborne (1899) 20 LR(NSW) 190
“you will at once deliver to [the P] or her agent all sheep [with the relevant brand] … which you unlawfully withhold from her.
Refusal must be unreasonable and unequivocal: Flowfill Packaging Machines v Fytore (1993) ATR 81‐224
Might be reasonable if the identity of the person cannot be confrimed
Deprives P of possession, or results in the chattel being unusable
Tresspass to Land
Right to sue- immediate right to possession
Direct physical contact by the D with land exclusively possessed by P.
ELEMENTS
unauthorised
intentional/negligent act of the D
directly interfering with P’s possession of Land
Actionable per se- no need for damages
Entry under licence is not a trespass- e.g. taking normal route of entry to knock on front door- case entry okay for back door
Slightest entry may be trespass: Westripp v Baddock [1939] 1 All ER 279 (ladder against wall)
Broad licence given to certain public officials: Plenty v Dillon (1991) 171 CLR 635-
Entering needs to be voluntary act (or negligent):
Not necessary to prove intention to trespass- e.g. accidently mow somoeons land
Pushing substance onto land: Watson v Cohen [1959] Tas SR 194 (bulldozer pushing soil) even though bulldozer itself didnt go on
Contruction
Who can sue
A Plaintiff can bring an action if they have exclusive possession of that land 17.12 ph 887. The court is concerned with possession not owenrship
Block of land ‘The Grove’, Woollahra - owned by deceased estate.Someone wrongfully in possession can sue a person who cannot maintain a better right to possession Although D werent the ownerss- they had employed people to maintain and even paid rates- the had the better right to protection
'LAND'
How high and low do your rights as an occupier of land extend?
cujus est solum ejus est usque ad coelum at ad inferos
“Whose is the soil, his is also that which is above it to heaven and below it to hell”
Entitled to air space above there land in order for them to enjoy reasonable amount of benefit.
Bernstein v Skyviews & General Ltd [1978] QB 479
his balance is in my judgment best struck in our present society by restricting the rights of an owner in the airspace above his land to such height as is necessary for the ordinary use and enjoyment of his land and the structures upon it, and declaring that above that height he had no greater rights in the airspace than any other member of the public.” (Griffiths J)
Continuing trespass: Konskier v B Goodman [1928] 1 KB 421 (builders failed to take away rubbish) - leabind rubbish continuing trespass
LJP Investments P/L v Howard Chia Investments P/L (1989) 24 NSWLR 490 Adjoining commercial properties in Double Bay - d erected scaffolding 4/12 metres high and 1 ½ over- P removed unless payment- D relied on Bernstein- Court disagreed- test is not whether it does interfere or whether it may interfere- P could use that airspace at some time,No actual interference but still trespass
Davies v Bennison (1927) Tas LR 52 D shot cat on roof of P’s shed • Bulet went through airspace but didnt touch the ground- Held it was trespass .Unwanted intrusion at rooftop height was interference with P’s dominio
Di Napoli v New Beach Apartments [2004] NSWSC 52 Ad coelum idea not to be taken literall. For subterranean rights, a person has substantial control over land underneath his or her soil for a considerable depth
implued consetnt oenter?
Halliday v Nevill (1984) 155 CLR 1 - for the purpose of lawful communication with, or delivery to, any person in the house. Such an implied or tacit licence can be precluded, or at any time revoked, by express or implied refusal or withdrawal of it.”
Police werent trespassing because there was an implied right to trespass.A police officer has the right to inter a property to arrest someones suspected of a crime
Plenty v Dillon (1991) 171 CLR 635 Police entered P’s farm without consent to serve summons on 14y/o daughter. Went into dwelling . Went further then power of arrest
Tv Crew Cases
Lincoln Hunt Australia P/L v Willesee (1986) 4 NSWLR 457. TV crew entered property and filmed inside offices. Trespass, but damages awarded rather than injunction on screening- deciding damages were more appropriate
Injunction because would affect their business
Rinsale P/L v ABC (1993) ATR 81‐231; Emcorp P/L v ABC [1988] 2 Qd R 169 Reporters interrogated P’s about alleged criminal activity . Injunctions
TCN Channel Nine v Anning [2002] NSWCA 82 - ACA entered farm with police and EPA officers. Gate was only unlocked to allow delivery driver to enter P didnt lock the gate again- So current affair came in- P asked to leave, P suffered hurt to feelings and trauma . What was the scope of the implied licence to enter? . Cj spieglamn- means of access not blocked by was entry beyond the implied scope to enter- looked at purpose of the tv show- not enough that they are pursuing a story. She already had cameras rolling before and while P didnt want them on their land..No implied or express right to enter • $50,000 damages
Trespass
Need actual possession- Intend to hold + have sufficient control
Immediate right to possession: Where P needs to show a better right to possession then D
Direct act by the D that interferes with the P’s possession of goods
ELEMENTS
D must intentionally or negligently
Directly interfere with
Goods in the possession of the P
Type of interference-
Any type of direct interference-
Cressy v Johnson- P took document and 2 phones belonging to D to use in Family court- D committed trespass and P awarded nominal damages
Damaging P’s goods (Hamps v Darby [1948] 2 KB 311)- direcitn a missile was interference
Removing goods from P’s possession
Mere touching?- not much authority- nelgignet trivial touching was not- how ever intentional could- e.g. museums- use this tort to prevent damage
Actionable per se- actionable without proof of loss or damage 18.6 pg 907- cressy v Johnson.
Unintentional but not negligent- not trespass
Cannot be trespass by a mere accidental touching- everitt v Martin 18.8 909
National Coal Board v Evans [1951] 2 KB 861- Underground electricity cables severed . Not trespass because not at fault- he didnt know or ought to have known the presence of the cable 18.8 909,
Wrong to possession rather than ownership- 18.90 909
Without lawful justification
Dixon J in penfolds wines v elliot- the right to possession, as a title for maintaining trespass, is merely a right in one person to sue for a trespass done to another’s possession.