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Law of Tresspass

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LAW OF TORT LAW2002-N 20011/12 Lectures 3 and 4: Trespass to the Person Lectures 5 – 12: Negligence TRESPASS TO THE PERSON Reading: Steele Chap 2 to page 81; Street Chap 3; Winfield Chap 4. ASSAULT AND BATTERY Introduction Battery: intentional application of force to another person. Assault: act of the defendant which causes to the claimant reasonable apprehension of the infliction of an immediate battery on him by the defendant. Battery 1. The character of the act of D a) It must be a positive act. b) D must have control over what he is doing. c) There must be force and contact. Collins v Wilcock [1984] All ER 374 Wilson v Pringle [1987] QB 237. In Re F (Mental …show more content…

2. Physical force is not necessary. Meering v Graham - White Aviation Co 122 LT 44 3. The area of confinement may be very large. 4. Restraint must be complete. Bird v Jones (1845) 7 QB 742; 9 Jur 87; 66 RR 564. 5. If a person has the means of escape, but does not know it, it is submitted by Winfield that his detention is nevertheless false imprisonment unless any reasonable man would have realised that he had an available outlet. 6. Act must be direct. 7. There must normally be a positive act rather than an omission. Herd v Weardale Steel, Coke and Coal Co [1915] AC 67; 111 LT 660. Knowledge of C Herring v Boyle (1834) 1 CM&R; 6 Car&P; 4 Tyr 801; 3 LJ Ex 344 cf Meering v Grahame - White Aviation Co (Supra) Murray v Minister of Defence [1985] 1 WLR 692 No proof of actual damage is necessary. INTENTIONAL PHYSICAL HARM OTHER THAN TRESPASS TO THE PERSON: The Rule in Wilkinson v Downton An act wilfully done which is calculated to cause, and does cause, physical harm to a person is a tort, although it may not be trespass to the person or other specific tort. This principle was laid down by WRIGHT, J. in Wilkinson v Downton [1897] 2 QB 57; 76 LT 493. Upheld by C.A in Janvier v Sweeney [1919] 2 KB 316; 121 LT 179. In Wainwright v Home Office [2002] 3 WLR all three judges in CA held the view that either actual intention or objective recklessness would

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