September 29, 2025
Kuddus v CC of Leicestershire [2001] UKHL 29
The claimant sued for misfeasance in public office after a police officer forged his signature on a witness statement. The House of Lords held that exemplary damages could be awarded, focusing on the outrageous nature of the official's conduct rather than pre-defined categories of tort. Facts The claimant, Mr Kuddus, reported a theft from his flat. An investigating police officer, PC Jones, visited the former tenant suspected of the theft. Shortly afterwards, PC Jones forged Mr Kuddus’s signature on a statement withdrawing his complaint of theft. As a result, the police investigation was terminated without Mr Kuddus’s knowledge or consent.
