Case Summaries
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Pritchard v Cook & Red Ltd
Example case summary. Last modified: 12th Oct 2018
The claimant, Pritchard, purchased a prize rally car from the defendant, Cook and Red, on the basis that the defendant had advertised… ...
Proactive Sports Management v Rooney
Example case summary. Last modified: 7th Mar 2018
The respondent, Wayne Rooney, assigned his image rights to the third respondent company. An agreement between the respondents and the appellant sports… ...
Progress Bulk Carriers v Tube City – Summary
Example case summary. Last modified: 7th Mar 2018
The dispute arose out of the sale of a load of shredded scrap that the charterers (hirers of a cargo ship) had to ship to China from Mississippi. ...
Promissory Estoppel Cases
Example case summary. Last modified: 7th Mar 2018
An example of promissory estoppel is where A promises B that he would not enforce his legal rights and B acted and relied on it without giving any consideration. ...
Prudential Assurance v London Residuary Body
Example case summary. Last modified: 12th Oct 2018
Landlord and tenant; whether land held on yearly tenancy; whether agreement terminable by successor. A strip of land adjacent to a highway was sold to the council. The council leased the land back to the seller and the agreement stated the grant was to last until the council required the land for road widening purposes. ...
Pugh v Savage [1970]
Example case summary. Last modified: 12th Oct 2018
Pugh was the owner of a farm which included field A. Field A was accessed from the highway along a lane, into a field… ...
Pullman v Hill – 1891
Example case summary. Last modified: 7th Mar 2018
The plaintiffs were two members of a partnership firm. They owned property in Borough Road, London which they had contracted to sell. ...
Pursell v Horn – 1838
Example case summary. Last modified: 7th Mar 2018
In this case the defendant threw water on the claimant and got both the claimant and the claimant’s clothes, wet. The claimant started an action for… ...
Purton v Kilker Projects
Example case summary. Last modified: 7th Mar 2018
When Mr Purton submitted his final bill for approximately £147,000, KPL failed to pay it. Mr Purton referred the matter for adjudication and the… ...
PW & Co v Milton Gate Investments Ltd
Example case summary. Last modified: 12th Oct 2018
The claimant held the head-tenant of the defendant’s building and sub-leased the property to several other parties. ...
Pym v Campbell – 1856
Example case summary. Last modified: 7th Mar 2018
Pym and Campbell signed a written agreement wherein Campbell agreed to purchase three-eighths of the profits to accrue from Pym’s new invention. ...
Pyrene Co Ltd v Scindia Navigation Co Ltd
Example case summary. Last modified: 7th Mar 2018
The owners of the ship admitted liability but argued their liability would be limited by the Hague Rules, Article 4 (5). ...
Qazi v Harrow
Example case summary. Last modified: 12th Oct 2018
Possession proceedings against a former joint tenant and the right to respect for a home under the EC… ...
Quigley v Masterson
Example case summary. Last modified: 12th Oct 2018
Mr Pilkington and Mrs Masterson were unmarried but had owned and co-habited a property as joint tenants for more… ...
Quinn v Leathem – 1901
Example case summary. Last modified: 7th Mar 2018
Leathem, a butcher, had employees who did not belong to the Belfast Butchers’ Association (BBA). After experiencing some difficulties, he asked… ...
R (Abbasi) v Foreign Secretary
Example case summary. Last modified: 7th Mar 2018
The first claimant was a British national who had been captured by United States forces in Afghanistan and detained in Guantanamo… ...
R (Al Rawi and others) v Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs
Example case summary. Last modified: 7th Mar 2018
The first three claimants were imprisoned in Guantanamo Bay. Having been previously resident in the UK, they held indefinite leaves to remain… ...
R (Anderson) v Secretary of State
Example case summary. Last modified: 7th Mar 2018
Prisoners; mandatory life sentence; right to hearing. Anderson received mandatory life sentences after having been convicted of two murders. The Secretary of State set a longer than recommended period for Anderson’s release on licence. ...
R (Beresford) v Sunderland CC
Example case summary. Last modified: 12th Oct 2018
The appellant made an application to the respondent to register land as a town green under the provisions of the… ...
R (G) v Immigration Appeal Tribunal and R (M) v Same
Example case summary. Last modified: 7th Mar 2018
G and M were asylum seekers whose applications were refused by special adjudicators. They were also refused permissions to appeal to the Immigration… ...
R (Gentle) v Foreign Secretary
Example case summary. Last modified: 7th Mar 2018
The claimants were the mothers of two British servicemen killed serving in Iraq. Inquests were to be held into the circumstances… ...
R (on the application of Beresford) v Sunderland CC
Example case summary. Last modified: 12th Oct 2018
A new town development created a town plan that identified an open space in the town as a playing field/parkland. ...
R (on the application of Ricketts) v Basildon Magistrates’ Court
Example case summary. Last modified: 7th Mar 2018
The defendant, Ricketts, was arrested after taking bags from outside a charity shop and from the bins at the rear of the shop and… ...
R (Wheeler) v Office of the PM
Example case summary. Last modified: 12th Oct 2018
The claimant (W) applied for permission to seek judicial review of the decision of the Office of the Prime Minister… ...
R v A (No.2)
Example case summary. Last modified: 7th Mar 2018
In dismissing the appeal, the Court held that s.41(3)(c) of the 1999 Act should be construed, where necessary, by having regard to the interpretative obligation under s.3 of the 1998 Act and by giving adequate consideration to the need to protect a complainant from indignity and the possibility of humiliating questioning ...
R v ABCD – 2010
Example case summary. Last modified: 7th Mar 2018
The defendants participated in an attack against a victim in the victim’s home. The attack was organised by an individual other than the ones who… ...
R v Abdul Hussain
Example case summary. Last modified: 7th Mar 2018
Abdul Hussain and the other defendants, in this case, where Shia Muslims that had fled the Iraqi regime to live in Sudan. ...
R v Adaye
Example case summary. Last modified: 7th Mar 2018
The defendant had been warned by a doctor in Africa who had been treating him for sexually transmitted infections generally… ...
R v Adomako – 1995
Example case summary. Last modified: 7th Mar 2018
Dismissing Mr Adomako’s appeal, it was held that in cases of manslaughter by criminal negligence involving a breach of duty the ordinary principles of the law of negligence applied to ascertain whether the defendant had been in breach of a duty of care to the victim. ...
R v Ahluwalia – 1992
Example case summary. Last modified: 7th Mar 2018
The definition in R v Duffy [1949] 1 All ER 932 as “sudden and temporary loss of control” is still good law as it is a readily understandable phrase. However, in cases of abused wives, the harmful act is often a result of a “slowburn” reaction, rather than immediate loss of self-control. ...
R v Allen
Example case summary. Last modified: 7th Mar 2018
Mr Allen consumed homemade wine that unknowingly to him was much stronger than he initially thought. As such, it had a much stronger effect on him than he anticipated. ...
R v B [2007] 1 WLR 1567
Example case summary. Last modified: 7th Mar 2018
The defendant was accused of raping a victim outside of a nightclub. After his arrest, the defendant informed the custody officer… ...
R v Bailey – 1983
Example case summary. Last modified: 7th Mar 2018
Self-induced automatism defence unavailable to diabetic convicted of wounding with intent. The appellant (B) was convicted of wounding with intent. He claimed the defence of automatism caused by hypoglaecemia as a result of failing to take food after a dose of insulin. ...
R v Bainbridge – 1960
Example case summary. Last modified: 7th Mar 2018
The defendant purchased oxygen-cutting equipment. Weeks later, the equipment was used in a bank break-in and was left behind by the thieves. ...
R v Barnes – 2004
Example case summary. Last modified: 7th Mar 2018
Criminal law – Assault – Inflicting grievous bodily harm in the course of sport. The appellant was an amateur footballer. He was playing a football match, went in for a tackle and seriously injured his opponent’s leg. ...
R v Bateman – Case Summary
Example case summary. Last modified: 7th Mar 2018
Whether level of negligence amounted to gross negligence to warrant criminal liability.. A qualified medical practitioner was convicted of gross negligence manslaughter arising out of the delivery of a patient in child birth, Ms. Harding. ...
R v Blaue – 1975
Example case summary. Last modified: 7th Mar 2018
After the victim refused the defendant’s sexual advances the defendant stabbed the victim four times. Whist the victim was admitted to hospital she required medical treatment which involved a blood transfusion. ...
R v Bollom
Example case summary. Last modified: 7th Mar 2018
The defendant inflicted various injuries upon his partner’s seventeen month old child, including bruises and cuts. Whilst the injuries per se did not… ...
R v Bounekhla
Example case summary. Last modified: 7th Mar 2018
The defendant was convicted of three counts of sexual assault after he deliberately and surreptitiously ejaculated on women while dancing… ...
R v Bourne – 1952
Example case summary. Last modified: 7th Mar 2018
Sydney Joseph Bourne (B) subjected his wife Adelaide Bourne (A) to bestiality by terrorising her into submission against her… ...
R v Bowen – 1996
Example case summary. Last modified: 7th Mar 2018
Bowen had obtained a number of electrical goods, over a series of visits to the value of £20,000. He had done so by applying for a number of ‘instant… ...
R v Braham – 2013
Example case summary. Last modified: 7th Mar 2018
The appellant, Braham, had been convicted of the rape and assault of the victim, who was his partner at the time. It was alleged that… ...
R v Bree 2007
Example case summary. Last modified: 7th Mar 2018
The defendant, Bree (B), visited his brother at University and went for an evening out with him and others, including the complainant (C). Both B and C consumed considerable quantities of alcohol, before returning to B’s brother’s home ...
R v Brind 1991 | Case Summary
Example case summary. Last modified: 7th Mar 2018
The applicants sought a judicial review of directives issued by the Home Secretary. The directives placed limits on the broadcasting permission… ...
R v Brooks – 1983
Example case summary. Last modified: 7th Mar 2018
A father and daughter ate in the upstairs room of a restaurant together with another man. The daughter left the restaurant early in a rush. ...
R v Brown – 1985
Example case summary. Last modified: 7th Mar 2018
The defendant, Brown, broke a shop window and stuck the top half of his body through the hole while rummaging about inside the shop in order to steal the contents. His lower half remained outside the shop. ...
R v Brown 2011
Example case summary. Last modified: 7th Mar 2018
The appellant, Brown was married to the victim and they had two children. The couple was undergoing a divorce. Brown had contact with the… ...
R v Brown and Stratton
Example case summary. Last modified: 7th Mar 2018
Brown and Stratton were cousins who jointly attacked Stratton’s father as Stratton found his father’s ongoing gender reassignment embarrassing. ...
R v Bunch – 2013
Example case summary. Last modified: 7th Mar 2018
The defendant, Bunch, murdered the victim in front of her husband by stabbing her more than 20 times after the relationship between the two ended. ...
R v Burgess – 1991
Example case summary. Last modified: 7th Mar 2018
The appellant (B) was charged with wounding with intent to do grievous bodily harm. His defence was that during the event he was sleep… ...
R v C (Barry)
Example case summary. Last modified: 7th Mar 2018
The defendant was convicted on a number of counts of sexual and violent offences against four different women between the years of 1967-1987. ...
R v Caldwell
Example case summary. Last modified: 7th Mar 2018
The respondent had done some work for the owner of a hotel as the result of which he had a quarrel with the owner, got drunk and set fire to the hotel in revenge. ...
R v Calhaem
Example case summary. Last modified: 7th Mar 2018
The defendant was convicted of murder under s.8 of the Accessories and Abettors Act 1861. She had counselled Z to murder the victim. ...
R v Campbell – 1991
Example case summary. Last modified: 7th Mar 2018
Tony Campbell (C) arrested after loitering outside a post office, wearing sunglasses and carrying something heavy, after police had… ...
R v Cato – 1976
Example case summary. Last modified: 7th Mar 2018
Mr Cato and the victim prepared their own syringes and then injected each other with heroin. The victim died. Mr Cato was convicted of manslaughter and administering a noxious thing contrary to s. 23 of the Offences Against the Person Act 1861. ...
R v Chan Fook
Example case summary. Last modified: 7th Mar 2018
The appellant, Mr Chan-Fook, had accused the victim, a lodger, of the theft of his fiancé’s engagement ring. The appellant, after striking the victim… ...
R v Chan Wing-Siu
Example case summary. Last modified: 7th Mar 2018
On May 31st 1980, the Appellant along with two others, in Kowloon, entered the premises of the two victims (a husband and wife) in order to collect a debt. ...
R v Cheshire – 1991
Example case summary. Last modified: 7th Mar 2018
Chain of causation – Death in hospital following shooting. Cheshire shot a man during the course of an argument. The victim was taken to hospital to have surgery and shortly after developed respiratory issues. ...
R v Church – 1966
Example case summary. Last modified: 7th Mar 2018
Mr Church and the victim were in a van for sexual purposes. The victim started mocking him and a fight ensued. He knocked the victim semi-conscious. After his attempts to rouse her proved unsuccessful, he panicked, thought the victim was dead and threw her into the river. ...
R v Ciccarelli
Example case summary. Last modified: 7th Mar 2018
The incident took place at a house party with the complainant in attendance, as well as the defendant and his girlfriend. They had met three… ...
R v Clarence
Example case summary. Last modified: 7th Mar 2018
The defendant, Charles James Clarence (CJC) was charged for unlawfully inflicting grievous bodily harm upon his wife Selina Clarence (SC) and… ...
R v Clarke – 2009
Example case summary. Last modified: 7th Mar 2018
Clarke suffered from type 1 Diabetes and had a Hypoglycaemic attack at the wheel of his vehicle, causing him to hit two pedestrians… ...
R v Clarke 1972
Example case summary. Last modified: 7th Mar 2018
Availability of insanity defence for depression and temporary absent mindedness. The defendant was apprehended for shoplifting after she placed certain items (including a jar of coffee, a jar of mincemeat and butter) into her handbag. ...
R v Clarkson; R v Carroll; R v Dodd
Example case summary. Last modified: 7th Mar 2018
The defendants were drinking when they heard sounds indicating that a woman was being raped. They entered the room where the sounds… ...
R v Clinton – 2012
Example case summary. Last modified: 7th Mar 2018
In the first case, Clinton killed his wife in their family home because of her sexual infidelity. He was convicted of murder and arson by the Crown Court. He was sentenced to life imprisonment with minimum specified term of 26 years. ...
R v Clouden – 1987
Example case summary. Last modified: 7th Mar 2018
The defendant approached the victim from behind whilst she was carrying a shopping basket in her left hand. He wrenched the basket down from her grasp and ran off with it. ...
R v Coates
Example case summary. Last modified: 7th Mar 2018
The defendant was a senior naval rating at the time of the incident and the complainant was a naval medical assistant, both working aboard a ship. ...
R v Codere – 1916
Example case summary. Last modified: 7th Mar 2018
C appealed against his conviction for murder. At trial, expert witnesses had disagreed on whether he could be certified as insane. ...
R v Cole – 1994
Example case summary. Last modified: 7th Mar 2018
The appellant (C) was convicted of two robberies. He claimed the defence of duress on the basis that he was “desperate” for money as he owed money… ...
R v Collins – 1973
Example case summary. Last modified: 7th Mar 2018
The defendant, Collins, climbed up to the window of a young woman at 4:00 a.m. When she awoke and saw him on her window sill. She mistook him for her boyfriend and beckoned him in. ...
R v Constanza – 1997
Example case summary. Last modified: 7th Mar 2018
Whether words alone could constitute an assault and the temporal element of fear of immediate violence. A man was convicted of assault occasioning actual bodily harm of a female ex-colleague. ...
R v Conway – 1989
Example case summary. Last modified: 7th Mar 2018
Conway was arrested for driving recklessly in contradiction of the Road Traffic Act 1972, section 2. Conway had driven away from plain-clothed police officers in a reckless manner. ...
R v Cooper; R v Schaub
Example case summary. Last modified: 7th Mar 2018
The defendants met the victim at a bar and asked her to show them where the nightclubs were in the area. The victim ultimately… ...
R v Couzens 2021
Example case summary. Last modified: 30th Sep 2021
Case summary and sentencing remarks from R v Couzens – the case concerns an off-duty police officer who committed the rape and murder of Sarah Everard. ...
R v Craig and Bentley – 1952
Example case summary. Last modified: 7th Mar 2018
Derek William Bentley (B), 19, and Christopher Craig (C), 16, attempted to burgle a warehouse. B carried a knife and a knuckle-duster… ...
R v Crutchley
Example case summary. Last modified: 7th Mar 2018
Ann Crutchley (AC) strangled her newborn baby. The two surgeons testifying in the case stated that the strangling had taken place before… ...
R v Cunningham – 1957
Example case summary. Last modified: 7th Mar 2018
Intention and the meaning of malice in s.23 OAPA 1861. The appellant removed a gas meter in order to steal the money inside. The meter however was connected to the neighbouring house which was occupied by the appellant’s future mother-in-law. ...
R v Dalloway 1847
Example case summary. Last modified: 7th Mar 2018
Dalloway was standing on a horse and cart as it drove along a public road. Dalloway was not holding on to the reins as they were resting on the horse’s back. During his journey, a small child ran out in to the road in front of the cart and was killed by one of the wheels as it moved along. ...
R v Dawson – 1985
Example case summary. Last modified: 7th Mar 2018
The defendant approached a petrol station manned by a 50 year old male. The defendants attempted a robbery with an imitation gun and a pick-axe handle. The defendants demanded money but did not touch the attendant who pressed the alarm button and the defendants ran away without obtaining any cash. ...
R v Dawson and James – 1976
Example case summary. Last modified: 7th Mar 2018
One defendant pushed the victim who lost his balance enabling the second defendant to steal his wallet. The two defendants were convicted… ...
R v Devonald – 2008
Example case summary. Last modified: 7th Mar 2018
The defendant, believing the victim to have treated his daughter badly during their relationship, posed as a young woman to correspond with… ...
R v Dica – 2004
Example case summary. Last modified: 7th Mar 2018
Criminal – Assault Inflicting Grievous bodily harm – Transmitting disease through consensual sexual intercourse. The defendant, Mohamed Dica was charged with inflicting two counts of grievous bodily harm under s 20 of the Offences against the Person Act 1861. ...
R v Director of the Serious Fraud Office
Example case summary. Last modified: 7th Mar 2018
The Director of the Serious Fraud Office started investigating certain allegations of corruption against a UK company. Among other things… ...
R v Donovan
Example case summary. Last modified: 7th Mar 2018
It was established at trial that the appellant, Mr Donovan, had ‘induced’ the victim to accompany him to his garage, wherein he had proceeded to beat her with a cane in ‘circumstances of indecency’ ...
R v Dowds – 2012
Example case summary. Last modified: 7th Mar 2018
The defendant, Dowds (D), killed his partner with a knife by inflicting 60 wounds on her. He sought to rely on the partial defence of… ...
R v Dudley and Stephens – 1884
Example case summary. Last modified: 7th Mar 2018
The availability to the defence of necessity for murder. The two defendants and a boy between the ages of seventeen and eighteen were cast away in an open boat at sea following a storm. ...
R v Elbekkay
Example case summary. Last modified: 7th Mar 2018
The appellant had been out for the evening drinking with the victim and her boyfriend. They returned to the victim’s flat and the victim retired to bed… ...
R v Evans – 2009
Example case summary. Last modified: 7th Mar 2018
Manslaughter by gross negligence – duty of care. Evans purchased heroin and gave it to her half-sister who later self-ingested the drug. Evans recognised that the victim had symptoms akin to those of an overdose and remained with her mother and the victim, without calling for medical assistance as they feared getting into trouble. ...
R v Fiak – 2005
Example case summary. Last modified: 7th Mar 2018
Fiak had been sitting in a car, parked outside his house, when he was approached by police officers who had suspected he was in… ...
R v Flatt
Example case summary. Last modified: 7th Mar 2018
Flatt had a drug addiction and fell in debt to his supplier to the value of £1,500. The supplier had told the appellant to take possession of some drugs… ...
R v Flattery – 1877
Example case summary. Last modified: 7th Mar 2018
The defendant, John Flattery (JF) posed as a medical doctor and surgeon. The complainant, a young woman aged 19, consulted JF with respect to an illness she was suffering, accompanied by her mother. ...
R v Foreign Secretary (Gentle)
Example case summary. Last modified: 7th Mar 2018
The claimants were the mothers of two British servicemen killed serving in Iraq. Inquests were to be held into the circumstances of their deaths… ...
R v Foreign Secretary ex parte Abbasi
Example case summary. Last modified: 7th Mar 2018
The first claimant was a British national who had been captured by United States forces in Afghanistan and detained in Guantanamo Bay… ...
R v Franklin – 1883
Example case summary. Last modified: 7th Mar 2018
Mr Franklin took up a larger box from Brighton Pier and threw it into the sea. The victim was swimming underneath in the sea at the time and was struck by the box and died. ...
R v G (2003) – Recklessness in Criminal Law
Example case summary. Last modified: 7th Mar 2018
Prior to the case of R v G, there were two main approaches to recklessness. The first was derived from the case of R v Cunningham were the interpretation of recklessness was when the defendant foresees the risk of harm yet does the act anyway. ...
R v G 2004 – Recklessness
Example case summary. Last modified: 7th Mar 2018
The test for recklessness after MPC v Caldwell. The two appellants were boys aged 11 and 12 respectively. They went camping at night unsupervised (and in fact without parental permission). In the early hours of the night they entered the back yard of a Co-Op shop and found old newspapers. ...
R v G and F
Example case summary. Last modified: 7th Mar 2018
After police searched one of the defendant’s (G) flat, they found indecent images of children on a laptop computer. The police then searched his mobile… ...
R v Galliano – 1996
Example case summary. Last modified: 7th Mar 2018
G was charged with the murder of his wife, A. There was evidence that either G killed A himself, or that a killer carried out the… ...
R v Geddes – 1996
Example case summary. Last modified: 7th Mar 2018
Gary William Geddes (G), 29, was discovered in the toilets of a school to which he had no connection, with a rucksack. When leaving the school… ...
R v George – 1956
Example case summary. Last modified: 7th Mar 2018
The defendant had a foot fetish, and on two occasions attempted to remove shoes off the feet of young girls without their consent for the… ...
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