January 18, 2026
A printing company sued a trade union for conspiracy and libel. The House of Lords held that section 4(1) of the Trade Disputes Act 1906 granted trade unions complete immunity from tortious actions, regardless of whether the tort was committed in contemplation or furtherance of a trade dispute. Facts Vacher...
January 18, 2026
Shaw published 'Ladies Directory' containing advertisements for prostitutes with photographs and details of services offered. He was convicted of conspiracy to corrupt public morals, living on earnings of prostitution, and publishing an obscene publication. The House of Lords upheld the conviction, affirming that conspiracy to corrupt public morals is an...
January 18, 2026
Rush & Tompkins, a main contractor, settled with GLC but faced a subcontractor's claim. The subcontractor sought discovery of 'without prejudice' settlement correspondence. The House of Lords held that without prejudice communications are protected from discovery by third parties in connected litigation to encourage settlement negotiations. Facts Rush & Tompkins...
January 18, 2026
The Royal College of Nursing sought clarification on whether nurses could lawfully participate in pregnancy terminations using prostaglandin induction under the Abortion Act 1967. The House of Lords (3-2) held that such terminations were lawful when carried out under a doctor's control, even if nurses performed abortifacient acts, as the...
January 18, 2026
A convicted criminal sued his barrister for negligence in conducting his defence at trial. The House of Lords unanimously held that barristers enjoy immunity from negligence claims arising from their conduct of litigation, based on public policy considerations including the barrister's duty to the court and the administration of justice....
January 18, 2026
Following divorce proceedings, the husband sought to appeal a financial order out of time. The county court refused an extension of time. The Court of Appeal considered whether it had jurisdiction to hear an appeal against that refusal, declining to follow Podberry v Peak and holding that Lane v Esdaile...
January 18, 2026
Mrs Reynolds was arrested by police during a raid on her home, despite having no reasonable grounds for suspicion of involvement in an arrestable offence. She was detained for a day at Limehouse Police Station. The Court of Appeal upheld the jury's award of £12,000 damages for false imprisonment. Facts...
January 18, 2026
Nurses at Rampton Hospital were convicted of ill-treating patients based solely on uncorroborated evidence from mentally disordered patients with criminal backgrounds. The case addressed whether judges must give the standard 'dangerous to convict' warning for such witnesses outside established categories, and whether jury irregularities rendered verdicts unsafe. Facts The appellants...
January 18, 2026
Spanish-owned fishing companies challenged UK legislation requiring British nationality for vessel registration. The European Court of Justice ruled that national courts must set aside domestic rules preventing interim relief to protect Community law rights, establishing the supremacy of EC law over conflicting national provisions. Facts The appellants were companies incorporated...
January 18, 2026
The appellant pleaded guilty to conspiracy to utter counterfeit banknotes after the trial judge ruled he had no discretion to exclude prosecution evidence on grounds the offence was induced by an agent provocateur. The House of Lords confirmed entrapment is no defence in English law and defined the limited circumstances...
January 18, 2026
A husband was convicted of attempted rape upon his wife after forcing entry into her parents' home where she had been living following their separation. The House of Lords abolished the common law marital exemption from rape, holding that marriage no longer implies irrevocable consent to sexual intercourse. Facts The...
January 18, 2026
The defendant was found with cannabis left in his car by a friend, intending to return it when collected. The House of Lords held that returning drugs to a depositor constitutes 'supply' under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, as it enables the depositor to use the drugs for their...
January 18, 2026
Police secretly attached a listening device to a private house, recording the appellant admitting involvement in heroin importation. Despite the evidence being obtained through civil trespass and without statutory authority, the House of Lords held it was admissible. The case confirmed that improperly obtained evidence remains admissible subject to judicial...
January 18, 2026
The respondent was convicted in 1992 of offences including those under the Insolvency Act 1986, with evidence obtained through compulsory examination admitted at trial. He sought to rely on the Human Rights Act 1998 retrospectively to challenge his conviction on appeal. The House of Lords held that section 22(4) of...
January 18, 2026
Bennett, a New Zealand citizen wanted for fraud offences in England, alleged he was kidnapped in South Africa and forcibly returned to the UK with the connivance of British police, bypassing extradition procedures. The House of Lords held that courts have power to stay proceedings as an abuse of process...
January 18, 2026
Three appellants were convicted of conspiracy to counterfeit half sovereigns. They argued that the Coinage Offences Act 1936 required proof of dishonest intent to defraud. The House of Lords held that the offence under section 1(1)(a) required only basic intent to produce counterfeit coins, not specific intent to defraud. Facts...
January 18, 2026
The appellant pleaded guilty to bigamy after marrying while honestly believing his previous marriage had been dissolved by Decree Absolute. The Court of Appeal held that an honest and reasonable mistaken belief in facts that would make a second marriage lawful is a valid defence to bigamy, departing from R...
January 18, 2026
The appellant confessed to insurance fraud after police revealed her lover's affair with another woman in the adjacent cell. The Court of Appeal considered whether this amounted to 'oppression' under s.76(2)(a) PACE 1984. The court held oppression requires impropriety and gave the word its ordinary dictionary meaning. Facts Ruth Susan...
January 18, 2026
Chandler was convicted of inciting public nuisance and causing public nuisance by obstructing highways during demonstrations against the Greek Royal Visit. He appealed on grounds concerning jury challenges, arguing he had a legal right to 'stand by' jurors after exhausting peremptory challenges. The Court of Criminal Appeal dismissed the appeal,...
January 18, 2026
Mr Nadir, charged with theft and false accounting, fled to Northern Cyprus while on bail. His surety Mr Guney challenged forfeiture of his recognisance. The House of Lords held that a defendant who is arraigned automatically surrenders to custody by operation of law, releasing the surety from his obligation. Facts...
January 7, 2026
Two appeals concerning whether psychiatric injury can constitute bodily harm under the Offences against the Person Act 1861. Ireland made silent telephone calls causing psychiatric illness; Burstow stalked a woman causing severe depression. The House of Lords held psychiatric injury is bodily harm and can be inflicted without physical violence....
January 7, 2026
Female warehouse operatives claimed equal pay with a male checker warehouse operative whose work was of equal value to theirs. The employer argued the claim was barred because a man did the same work as the women. The House of Lords held that section 1(2)(c) of the Equal Pay Act...
January 7, 2026
Schoolmasters were taxed on the benefit of concessionary school fees for their children. The House of Lords held that courts may refer to Hansard to interpret ambiguous legislation where ministerial statements clearly indicate Parliament's intention. This landmark case relaxed the exclusionary rule against using Parliamentary materials in statutory construction. Facts...
January 7, 2026
A woman detained on remand remained in prison 81 days beyond the statutory custody time limit due to failures by the CPS. Her claims for false imprisonment against the Home Office and breach of statutory duty against the CPS were both struck out. The prison governor was bound by the...
January 7, 2026
A railway fireman was killed walking along a prohibited railway line route instead of the designated safe path whilst proceeding to his next work assignment. The House of Lords held that despite contravening employer's orders, the accident arose out of and in course of employment under Section 1(2) of the...
May 3, 2026
National Case Law Archive
May 3, 2026
National Case Law Archive
May 3, 2026
National Case Law Archive